Warrior (Wizardess Heart)
by Fonix Girl
Summary: Marelda's brother was killed in a raider attack. Saved by a female warrior, Marelda decides to become one, with magic to aid her. She goes to the academy to focus, to train. But this one annoying kid named Luca likes to bother her—while she's training. Only, she slowly realizes his troublemaker act is only that, an act. He's scared to trust anyone with himself. (Elemental Spin-Off)
1. Prologue

This is the third spin off story to Elemental Wizardess (Heart) for a Luca x OC pairing. It will make a lot more sense if you read that story, as well as the spin off for my Elias x OC pairing, Taming a Wizardess (Heart). There's character information on my account page thing, as well as a lot of background information for the story that doesn't directly involve Marelda (mostly) and Luca (not as much but kind of). Please let me know if you have any questions, though, okay? I'd be happy to answer them.

Okay, so this prologue is going to be in third person, but the rest of the chapters will alternate between Marelda and Luca in first person, mostly Luca's POV, though, from what I can see.

And I wrote this while I was sick and pretty out of it, so it's a bit depressing, particularly towards the end...sorry...not really...moving on...

* * *

Prologue—

"Ma! Ma!" Marelda ran up to her mother, who stood just inside the kitchen door, at the counter as she kneaded bread, "Look what I got with my sling!" The six year old held up a fat grey-white rabbit to her mom. "We can make it into a soup, can't we? Please please pleeeeeease?"

The mother shook her head in defeat, "I guess we can. But I do with you'd stop trying to hunt. That's a man or a boy's job. You, young lady, are neither."

"But Ma! Parker said it's just fine for girls to hunt and fight!" Marelda insisted.

"I did, didn't I?" laughed the auburn-haired youth as he walked into the house. He kissed his mother on the cheek, "Hello, Ma. Wonderful midday, ain't it? Is lunch ready? I'm half starved after being out all mornin' on the hunt."

"It's on the table, waitin'. And please stop taking your sister with you when you hunt. She doesn't need to be learning these things." Their mother, a woman by the name of Leandra, was a stout woman of forty years and a mother of five, ages two to fifteen. "It's bad enough that she's started showin' signs of magic. There hasn't been magic in this family for three generations now, not since my granmama. Magic just makes things difficult, and you aren't making them easier by teachin' her how to hunt, young man."

"I try, I swear I do, but she sneaks along. Mara's a hunter, Ma, and she's got the talent for sneakin' around without makin' a sound." Parker scooped up the little girl, now sans rabbit, and put her on his back as she squealed.

"Parker! I'm a big girl! I don't need to be carried!" Marelda pouted.

"So? Just 'cause you don't need to be, doesn't mean I can't or I won't!"

Marelda squealed and laughed as Parker took off running to the table, only to circle it a few times before putting the out-of-breath girl into her chair, "Now eat up, Mara! A good warrior can't train when she's hungry."

…. …. ….

Parker, aged fifteen, was a happy, cheerful lad who liked to hunt and play with his younger siblings, whom he cared for and guarded zealously. His dearest ambition was to become an official warrior, and be able to aid in the protection of his hometown, Elston, which was located in the most western part of the country of Gedonelune, surrounded by the largest forest in the country, Elwood.

While he loved all his siblings, and he'd be hard pressed to admit it, he did somewhat favor his oldest younger sister, Marelda. The girl was like him, and wanted to be a warrior as well. He guess it was partially due to the fact that he wanted to be one, but the girl also had some natural tendencies. He was no expert at fighting, but he was at hunting, and the six year old was already taking down quick game—as showed by the rabbit.

He often went hunting in the early morning, rising earlier than even the farmers in their small town. Marelda was up at the same time every morning. Parker wasn't sure how she did it, but she did. He often found her waiting, bright-eyed and bushy-haired, with her sling and breakfast, when he stumbled out of his room half-dressed and half-awake.

In the afternoons, he did stretches and runs and practiced drills that he thought warriors would do to train. In less than a year he'd be sixteen. Sixteen was the age young men were allowed to join into the country's non-magical warriors training program. He was excited that he was almost old enough, and being a warrior would make his father very proud, because his own father had been one, and Parker's father had very much respected his father.

Marelda and Parker's father was often out of the town, traveling. Manley Krammer was a traveling merchant. Speaking of being often gone, he was to be home soon, just in time for Marelda's seventh birthday.

Marelda and Parker had always taken after their father in looks more than their mother. Where her mother had pale cornflower-yellow hair and cornflower-blue eyes, which had been received by the three youngest children, the older two had darker auburn hair and green-blue-brown hazel eyes. They'd also received their father's skin tone, which was a handful of shades darker than their mother's fair complexion.

But Marelda was the only child who had received her great-grandmother's magic. It was only showing hints, but her mother recognized those signs. The first had been when she had fallen out of a thirty-foot tree with only a few scratches that healed at a much faster than normal rate. The second had been when she had healed the broken wing of a fledgeling bird. Just like Leandra's granmama, her daughter was a healer wizardess. And she far more approved of that than Marelda's dreams of becoming a warrior. Hopefully that would fade with age.

…. …. ….

It was the night of Marelda's seventh birthday. She'd never been happier. Her father was home, her mother made a wonderful dinner of all her favorite foods, and best of all, her brother had given her the most amazing present—her own set hunting knives, a total of three knives. While they had simple leather handles, they had fine, sharp blades made by the apprentice of the town blacksmith, Jakob, a good friend of Parker's.

Her mother frowned at the gift but said nothing against it. Her motherly instincts were telling her it was a bad idea to give such a young child—a girl, at that—knives, but her logic knew that Marelda could handle them, even at the mere age of seven. She used her brother's knives often enough.

Far too soon, though, it was time for bed. But the youngest three were already falling asleep sitting up, and Marelda knew that if she didn't get to sleep soon, she might sleep in and miss hunting the next morning. And that just wouldn't do.

…. …. ….

Marelda woke to the loud chiming of a bell—the large church bell. She was confused. The only times they ever used it were for funerals and weddings. But who in their right minds would hold those in the middle of the night? But then she remembered a story her father had told. The only other time the bell was rung was when Elston was under attack.

Raiders.

The last time they had attacked her mother had been a little girl. And her mother's best friend and her older sister had been killed.

She stumbled out of her bed and started shoving her two sisters into coats and shoes before yanking on a pair herself. Parker rushed in, over to his sister, "Marelda, you need to take mom and the kids to the hunting hideout. Can you do that?"

"A-aren't you coming with us?" She looked, wide-eyed, at her big brother.

"Pa and I have to try and protect the house. Don't worry. We'll be fine. Promise. Now, go!" He shuffled the three girls out the door and out to the back of the house, which faced the woods. Their mother was waiting with the youngest sibling, a little boy only two years of age. "They're coming from the west. Marelda, take everyone east to the hideout. Hurry! I'll come and get you all when it's safe!"

Marelda nodded, taking a hand of each of her sisters. She pulled them along, with her mother close behind, about a mile into the woods. Even though it was dark she knew these woods far better than she could draw them on a map. She didn't need much light to know exactly where she was. She led her sisters and mother to the little hut-type thing where her and Parker would clean bigger game, for when he took down some thing like a deer. Even though it was rare, it happened. Mostly, though, they used it as a base for their hunting trips, and as a meet-up place for if they got separated.

She sat her sister's on the bench with their mother. "Ma, I'm goin' to go and help them! Stay here!" She darted out of the little hut before her mother could grab her.

"No! Marelda, get back here! It's not safe!" her mother cried. But Leandra knew that she couldn't follow her oldest daughter—not only did she not know the woods very well, but it would mean she'd have to leave the other three there, and she couldn't do that. She could only sit and fret and worry about her husband and oldest children.

…. …. ….

The noise of fighting grew as Marelda got closer to the town. She could see light from fires, large ones. And the stench of smoke was so strong and foul that she knew that something—or rather, someone—had set fire to houses.

Her house seemed to be fine. She darted into her room and grabbed her belt with her new knives, tying it around her waist before running out the front and towards the center of town, where most of the fighting was.

She spotted her brother at the edges, fighting a man with a large hammer. Jakob was nearby, in a fight of his own, and had his own matching hammer. Marelda watched as her brother felled the man and turned slightly. He stumbled, noticing her. He rushed over to her and dragged her into the shadows.

"What are you doin' here?!" he hissed, "Run! Get back to Ma and the rest! You'll get yourself killed, and not help at all!"

"But Parker!" Marelda whined, "I don't wanna wait and fret like Ma! I wanna help!"

"You're still not big enough Marelda. One day, I promise you. But today isn't that one day. Now go!"

Marelda suddenly felt something warm hit her cheek and front. Her eyes widened as she saw an object sticking out of his stomach. Parker made a pained gurgling sound and slid to the ground. Marelda was frozen as she looked at the man behind him.

The man grinned as he saw Marelda. "What do we have here? A little girl, just right for the taking!" He reached for her and she snapped out of her trance. There was a flash and the man yanked his hand back. A line of blood appeared and began to drip from the palm of his hand. "A feisty little girl, with a knife. Ha. All the more fun to break." He lunged for her, but was suddenly yanked back and thrown on the ground. A large hammer swung down and dented his skull.

Jakob ran up to Marelda, "Help me get Parker out of here." The two, mostly Jakob, dragged a groaning Parker away from the fight. He was laid down on the edge of town, by the road leading south. "Stay with him! He's not going to...make it." Jakob's voice cracked, "Just stay with him until the end, please."

Marelda nodded, tears already slipping down her cheeks as she turned to her big brother. "P-parker...I'm sorry...it's all my fault! If I had just l-listened and s-stayed with M-ma you'd be okay!"

Parker lifted his hand to her face with a wince, "Don't cry, Mara. You need to be strong. You're my tough as nails little sister, aren't you? I'm not scared, and so you shouldn't be either, 'kay? It's not your fault. It's mine. I should've paid better attention. A good warrior never turns their back on the enemy. I love you, and I don't blame you. Promise. Can you promise me you'll be strong, Mara? For Ma. She'll need you to be strong. Can you do that?"

Marelda nodded.

"Good, good. Now that you'll take care a Ma and the littles, I can rest easy. Thanks, Mara. Give Ma a hug for me, will you?" His speech was becoming more slurred, and fainter by the second.

His hand dropped from Marelda's cheek and she caught it, holding it to her chest, "Parker! Parker!" Sobs began to wrack her frame.

A few minutes later, thought it seemed like ages to Marelda, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped, and jerked around, lashing out with a knife. The person backed up quickly, narrowly missing the blade. "Woah there. I mean no harm, lass. My sister and I were traveling to here—this is came to help the town and saw you sitting here. Are you a local?"

The accent was one from the eastern side of the country. Marelda took a closer look at the man. He wore simple traveling clothes, with a bag on their back and a sword sheath strapped to his belt.

"Y-you're a warrior…!" Marelda gasped, "The r-raiders are in the s-squ-square!"

He nodded solemnly, and stood up before taking off in the direction of the square. Marelda noticed a woman who was standing a little ways away from where the man had been. "W-who are you?"

The woman walked up, looking a bit surprised, "It seems you have magic, little one, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to see me. Is that your brother?" She motioned to where Parker lay.

Marelda nodded, "His name was Parker. He got s-stabbed because he was trying to tell me to go back to Ma and stay safe."

The woman knelt beside her and put a hand on her head, "Well, I guess I'm going to get to avenge him this early morning. You stay here, okay? I'm going to go and make sure _my_ hot-headed idiot of a brother doesn't get himself killed. He may be the one with magic, but he's not good at using it when he's riled up." She stood up, brushing off her pants. She pulled a large knife from her belt and handed it to Marelda, "Seeing as you nearly sliced my brother's hand off with the little knife of yours, I think you can handle this. Keep yourself safe. I'll come and get you when it's over." She turned to run off to the fight, but hesitated, "Before I go, what's your name, lass?"

"M-Marelda."

"Well, Marelda, I'm Elma." Then the woman broke into a run,heading to the fight.

…. …. ….

"Are you sure about this Marelda?" Leandra asked her oldest child.

"Yes, Ma. I'm entirely sure. This is what I want. I promise." She glanced at the tracks. The train that would take her to Stargate, the town nearest Gedonlune Royal Magic Academy. She had received the acceptance letter a few weeks ago, and was ready. This was the place where she could live up to her goal of being a warrior. She's not only doing it for herself—no, she's also doing it for Parker. His dream got cut short, hers would not.

The only thing she worried about was leaving her mother and three little siblings behind. That one night almost seven years ago had left her family without a father and an older brother. Parker and Manley Krammer will killed in an attack on the town. Since then, the capital had fortified the near-border town and provided it with a little more security. Even so, Marelda couldn't help but worry about her family. Her mother had, in fact, remarried the previous year, and that had helped alleviate her fears, if only a little.

"Elda! Don't go!" cried Willie, clinging to his sister's leg. Willie was the youngest, now eight. He didn't really remember his father or brother, but he adored his oldest sister. "Who's gonna hunt with me? And play with me? And show me cool things?"

Marelda smiled at him, and leaned over to give him a hug. "You can take the other boys in the village with you when you hunt. I'm sure Jakob's younger brother, Marren, will go with you. He does it half the time already. And he likes you, even if he is a year or so older. And there are plenty of other kids to play with."

"But none of them are as amazing as you!" Willie insisted.

Marelda fought back the sudden burst of near-tears that rose to her eyes and hugged him again. She hadn't cried in seven years, and she wasn't about to do so now. "I'll come and visit on the holidays, and the summer vacation is three months long."

"But those are so far away!"

"Willie, calm down." Anna, the younger of Marelda's twin sisters, pried him off of her.

"Hey, maybe she'll come back with a new older brother for you at some point." Chelse, the older twin, younger than Marelda by a year and a half, aged 12-going-on-13, winked at her big sister.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Willie whined as Marelda turned red. Anna leaned down and whispered in his ear, and he gasped, "Yes! Marelda! Go and find an awesome big brother! One who'll play with me when you can't! Now go! Go!" The train was about to pull up to the station.

"Hush up, Anna!" Marelda scowled, "I'm sorry, Willie, but I'm not going to have time to have, much less find, a boyfriend. I'll be training."

"Still, you never know." Leandra input, smiling at her red-faced oldest. "I believe it's time for you to get on the train. I love you, Marelda. Be safe and don't overwork yourself, please." She hugged her daughter, and got a hug in return.

And with one last group hug from her siblings, Marelda got on the train, ready for what was coming next in her life.

Getting herself comfortably situated in a compartment, she ghosted her hand over the belt tied around her waist, containing three old and well-loved knives.

 _I'm doing it, Parker. For both of us._

* * *

In Elemental, I have an ender. In Taming, I have fun facts. In Cursed, there'll be song lyrics at the beginning. Here, I'll have a description of a new weapon. :)

* * *

Marelda's three hunting knives are all different sizes. The largest has a blade about six inches long, and is shaped a bit like a leaf, and is wider in the middle, about an inch and a half at it's widest. It tapers to a point at the end. It's good for throwing, as well. It's a sturdy one.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1—Starts with Chapter 2 of Taming.

Luca's POV

I had heard some interesting news through my network and decided to pop into class to see if it was true. And from what I can see, with Elias leading a girl to the class, my information network didn't fail me.

"Yo, Prince Elias." I smirked as I saw him tense.

He sighed, "...Luca."

"Luca…!" The girl gasps indignantly, clearly mad at me. She's kind of cute when she scrunches her face up like that. Not as cute as a certain other girl, but still.

"Huh?" I said innocently, "Looks like you've got a familiar face with you."

"Not just 'familiar'!" She stomped her foot, "You lured me straight to the boys' dorm yesterday!"

I grinned, and laughing a bit, "How was it, Kittycat? Fun?"

"Far from it! It was awful!" She really needed to work on her glaring skills...it was almost comical watching her try.

"Now, now," I said, "calm down, calm down. It was just a joke, right, Kittycat?"

"It wasn't _just_ a _joke_!" she snapped.

"But look, thanks to that, you got to be Elias' buddy, right?" I pointed out. Now Elias was glaring at me. Ha. What an easy target.

"So you already know." Elias said cooly.

"You just confirmed the words around the academy saying you are." I smirked again, "His Royal Majesty Elias, Crown Prince of the Academy, is buddies with a normal girl. That's the most fantastic thing since Selene and the Emperor!"

"I've said this countless times,"—And here comes his scolding voice.—"but would you stop calling me that? I'm not a prince or a member of the royal family. Just because Selene isn't here doesn't mean you can start that up again. Besides, don't you think that it's irreverent to the actual throne?"

"Haha! 'Irreverent'! I love it, it's like you're a generation behind!" I cackled, "Besides, Selene didn't tell me to stop because of the royal family, seeing as she's all 'freedom! equality! democracy! individual rights!' and all—she told me to stop because it irks you. And while the fire's away, the ice does play!"

He was practically shaking with anger. Temper temper. I seemed to have a talent for annoying people. It was awesome.

The new was staring at the floor nervously, apparently no longer mad at me. Selene did tell me once that whenever Elias and I started bickering, that the air got really intense around us. I blame Elias. It's all fun and games for me. Mostly.

"By the way, Luca." He said drily, "Class is about to start, but you seem to be going somewhere?"

"Oh? Well, yeah, I was just going to, you know, skip, like usual." I said, waving a hand.

"Skipping class." He deadpanned, "Again."

"Listen, Prince Elias," I reasoned, "we underachievers have problems you overachievers just don't get, y'know?" We stared at each other, his face blank and unamused while I smiled goofily. Got to keep my act up, don't I?

"U-um...hey, how about we just go inside? Okay?" The girl pretty much caught in between our argument was clearly nervous.

"Really? I was just gonna go goof off…" I pouted.

"But, well...today's lesson will probably be really fun!" She said, trying to make it sound tempting. She was trying so hard, and still failing. Selene normally said simply, ' _Luca~. In class. Now._ ' and I really didn't have a choice. The girl could be scary when you didn't listen, kind of how I imagined a scolding mother to be. Ha. At this point she was the closest thing I had to one—ironically enough, I'm older than she is by a couple of months.

"Oh? 'Fun'?" I looked her up and down, like I was checking her out. Not really, but kind of. Not quite my type. Of course, I already knew my type. My type had her solo practical magic lesson this hour in a specific courtyard. Reason 1 I'm skipping.

Katalina looked like she felt really awkward and unsure what to make of my actions, "Umm…?"

"Oh,"—Hmm...what to say, what to say.—"it's just, I was wondering why you got chosen as Prince Elias' buddy." There we go. Good thinking.

She bit her bottom lip, "I don't even know…"

I raised an eyebrow, "Ohh? Huh. Y'know, you're kinda interesting, and pretty cute, too."

And her confused look returned. "Huh?"

"Yeah...I feel like I've gotta know."

"About…?" she asked.

"About you." I said flirtatiously, smiling at her and looking her straight in the eyes, "All about you." I wonder if Elias even realizes that his tenseness is due to jealousy, hm? Ha. Probably not, seeing how dense he is. He's even worse than Selene, and it's obvious the Emperor's been crushing on her for months. At least, it's obvious to those of are who aren't too intimidated to pay attention.

The girl had a pink tinge to her cheeks and still didn't seem to know what was happening. Clearly Elias' has a rival in the denseness department. "U-um…"

I nodded, "Hmm...I might even stay for class." I saw Elias (unknowingly) clench his fist. I guess missing one session of watching _her_ is worth it to irritate Elias.

Her eyes widened in surprise, "Huh?!"

"Yep, that's how it is." I looked over at Elias, who had a sour look, "C'mon, Prince Elias! Don't make that face, man!"

He forces his face into a neutral expression and does his best to keep his tone even, "...Next time you call me that, I'll incinerate you with fire spells."

"Haha! I'd better watch my back!" I laugh, "But now look who's saying things Selene wouldn't approve of."

"Selene approves of most anything to do with fire, Luca! Remember?" Called out a student walking into the classroom, causing her friend to giggle. Ah, I believe her name is Maegan.

"That's mostly because she herself is fireproof." her friend snickered.

"Though that one eyebrow spell does seem to be a favorite threat of hers. I wonder if she's actually acted upon it?"

"I've no doubt she has." The two girls laughed again.

Katalina looked nervously between the two of us. I went ahead and walked in with a dignified silence to me. I assume she followed quickly after, from the "Well, Kittycat, I'll have to talk to you later."

I went and sat in my normal seat—when I'm here, that is—next to where Selene usually sat. I won't admit it, but I am kind of worried. From what I've heard, and what I hear is normally pretty accurate, something happened with one of her brothers. Selene comes from a really tight-knit family. I will admit, at least in my head, that I'm envious of her for that.

Then again, I'm just happy not to be trapped any longer. No more darkness and cage-like rooms for me.

But still.

I snapped out of my thoughts and listened into the conversation that Katalina, Elias, and (somewhat) Yukiya were having. Hmm. It seems this new girl is more intriguing than I thought. She can speak to animals? Interesting.

And then she asked the other two if they could hear a "strange song" before they went to sleep. Song? What song? Wait…could she possibly hear the song that is supposed to lead to the Tower of Sorrow? That's the only song that I could think of, particularly since it seemed to get even Yukiya's interest when she said that. And I know Yukiya could hear it. I myself was unable to, but I knew about it. Hours spent in the archives reading does help, you know.

Authoress: At least you sometimes do productive things when you skip.

Oh, hey, Authoress! Nice to see you.

Authoress (happy, cheerful tone): You are _so_ much more welcoming than Elias. I like that. Thank you. Eli's always mean to me when poke my nose into his story.

Well, he does have a stick up his a…

Authoress: Language! You know how Selene and I feel about cursing.

Yeah, yeah. It makes you seem like you have a "poor vocabulary" and are "uneducated." Yada yada yada.

Authoress: Thank you. Now, let's get back to the story, 'kay? I won't butt in again. At least not for a while.

See ya. Now back to business. Schuyler had started the lesson, and it was on the Persona Mirror. Sigh. Another lesson on a Goldstein Tool. Apparently the connection between Walter Goldstein and Elias hadn't been made in Katalina's head.

I turned back and whispered to her. "Hey Katalina did ya know? Walter Goldstein is Elias' father!"

"Ohhh! I see!" she whispered back, a lightbulb going on in her head. I only vaguely knew what a lightbulb was—a Terran thing that was used for light—from Selene. It was a fun saying, though, like most of the Selene-isms.

I continued, "Inventing a magical tool that powerful...the distinguished family, the Goldsteins are worthy of the authority of the wizards' world, huh?" I raised his voice, "Elias' dad and big brothers are all so magnificent, I can't tell you just how envious I am." Even if it was a bit true, Elias would think I'm solely making fun of him. Which I am, just not 100%.

He turned around and hissed, "Luca, shut up. We're in the middle of class."

"Oh, was I interrupting Mr. Honor Student's class? My deepest apologies." It was so hard not to start laughing at him. So hard.

"You! Over there! Quiet down! This is my classroom. If you're going to fool around, shall I have you do it outside?" Schuyler snapped.

"I'm sorry, sir." Elias apologized.

"Alright, alright, I'll keep quiet." I sighed.

Class continued. Katalina got asked a question. Elias gave a really long and boring explanation of things. Schuyler announced a pop quiz. Goody.

 _Bor-ring_.

Students went up and performed the spell, one by one. Elias went up, did it exactly by the book and got ninety out of a hundred, and went back to his seat all depressed. Ha. Perfectionists are pessimists. Now it was my turn. I got up and sauntered to the front of the class. I pulled out my wand. "Veltex." I waved it. The water in the jug started swirling like a little whirlpool. "Hover." With another wave of my wand, the whirling water rose to the air. Another wave of the wand, "Screen." The water formed a round, flat disk in midair. Then I said the incantation. "Wideo Procle." I lightly tapped the water mirror with his wand, and it showed a clear image of my room. And it was entirely empty. No personal items. Just what came with it.

"Zero points. Who told you to do that in such a roundabout way like that? Do it normally next time." Schuyler scolded

"Yeah, yeah, my bad." I shrugged as I went back to my seat.

"However," Schuyler continued, "The spell itself was superb. Elias' spell, on the other hand, was precise. I'd even say exemplary. However, it had some arrogance in it. Luca's spell, though, has great originality, and he has the ability to make it work." Ha. I bet that killed the Prince just now, made him feel empty, just how my room looks.

Of course, empty was only how it appeared. My drawers, the ones that didn't have clothes, were filled with drawings and other art I've created. But from an outsider's perspective, it could've been an unused room.

And the desk drawer is filled with images I've made of one person. Of course, it's not done to be obsessively creepy or anything, but because it's the only way to get her temporarily out of my head. It's not my fault that she's so dang picturesque. I found out that she had private training sessions as her first class entirely by accident. And since then, it's been my personal excuse to get out of Schuyler's class.

It was a Tuesday when I first saw her, about a month ago.

 _I had only narrowly avoided Schuyler and Selene. It's been a lot harder to get out of class since she's been here. On one hand, it was annoying because it meant that I got trapped listening to the boring lessons that were taught, but on the other, it was kind of nice that there was someone who cared enough to worry about me passing or failing._

 _Ha. Prince Elias didn't know how lucky he was, having people expecting things of him. Sure, it probably had it's own sets of problems, but I'd rather have nothing than something, you know?_

 _I walked down the hallway, heading towards the edge of the school. It's a nice morning, and I'm thinking about going down to the lake to sketch. It's one of my favorite places to draw, mostly because there's always little differences from the last time I drew it._

 _I hear several loud thumps coming from the left. Hmm. I wonder what's going on over there, in the courtyard. At the end of the last quarter, a lot of the classes were switched up, and so Practical Magic is first hour for my class._

 _I wander over to the edge of the courtyard to see two people, a man and a younger boy—of course, it could be a girl. From what he/she is wearing, and with their dark red-brown hair cut so short, I can't rightly tell._

" _Harder! Faster! You think an enemy is going to give you time to breathe?!" The man shouted, "I sure hope you don't! Again!"_

 _The boy/girl raised her wand and it transformed into a short sword, which they used to start attacking the dummy-on-a-pole in front of them. They were so fast I couldn't see more of the blade than a reddish-copper blur._

" _Again!"_

 _I watched as the volley of attacks began anew, the man calling insults as the younger person drilled._

" _Again!"_

" _Again!"_

 _After several more "Again!"s, the man paused, "Break for ten!" Then marched off the field._

 _The boy/girl's sword disappeared and they put their wand in a sheath attached to their belt. Then put their hands on their knees, breathing heavily. I decided I should probably leave, and turned to go when a knife buried itself in the pillar next to my head. I whirled around, wand out, only to find nothing._

 _Then froze as a fist grabbed my hair and a knife was pressed to my neck._

" _Who are you?" the person growled. Huh. So it was a she. Interesting._

" _Who wants to know? Perhaps I'm just a simple boy passing through the corridors, hoping to find my classroom. I'm hopelessly lost, you see."_

" _You've hopelessly lost your mind if you think that's going to fool me, idiot. Who are you and why are you here?" The knife's pressure increased a little. Not enough to break skin, but almost._

" _Ah, you caught me. I'm playing hooky, and just happened to hear something interesting and decided to go check it out." I admitted, deciding not to risk my neck over a joke. Seriously, woman, learn to take them. Why so serious? I do hope you don't turn out to be another stick in the mud, like Prince Elias. That'd be no fun. "Name's Luca. What's yours, sweetheart?"_

 _The knife was removed and the girl shoved me forward, causing me to stumble a bit before regaining my balance. I turned to look at her. Now that I was closer, I could definitely see it was a girl. Not bad-looking, either, if a little sweaty—but after what she was doing, that was to be expected._

" _Marelda. Now scram. I've got to get back to training, and if you know what's good for you, you'll get back to class, idiot."_

 _I grinned at her, "But where would be the fun in that?" She rolled her eyes, yanked the knife out of the crack in the pilliar—a killer shot, I must say—and went back to the courtyard, beginning to stretch._

I was snapped out of my reminiscing as Katalina made it start raining frogs. I started to laugh and had a hard time stopping. This almost made it worth missing getting to see Marelda.

I'd gone and watched her several times since that day, and talked to—well, she'd probably say annoyed—her during her breaks from training. I'd managed to weasel other bits of information out of her since then.

Like she lived in Elston, near the western border of the country. She was training to be a warrior wizardess. She had two little sisters, a little brother, a mother, and a stepfather.

I'd also learned that she didn't want to talk about her father, or more particularly, her older brother. I guessed they were no longer in the world of the living.

Oh, and she seemed to be very attached to three particular knives in her belt. She had a total of ten she always carried with her. Since she was the only warrior-trainee currently at the school, she had private tutoring one hour a day.

You see, normally once a student passes a certain grade, they declare what the focus of their study is going to be. I've been held back a few times, so I haven't declared what I'll study yet. If I pass this year, though, I'll have to decide. I'm not sure what I'll do, so it's not a big deal to me.

Marelda wasn't very good at taking teasing, but it was fun to try and flirt with her. Any compliments and she'd be flushed red and acting all brusque, telling me to "bugger off!" and "go to class!" It was hilarious, really. It was at it's all-time funniest what I referred to her by her nickname—bella. Not the name, of course, but it's a foreign word meaning "beautiful." It's a term kind of used like "sweetheart" or "dear" or "love." When I told her what it means, she shoved me. Ha.

She's fascinating, as hard as she tries not to be. Don't ask me why I'm so interested in her, because I honestly don't know.

Authoress: I think you have a crush, love.

I thought you said you weren't coming back for a while? And I don't think that's really the case. She's more of a toy. And you're not British, so why are you using that term?

Authoress: Well, it's been a while. And it's totally the case. And you've known me how long now? Do I even need an explanation to do odd things?

Naw, I still don't think that's it.

Authoress: Ugh, between you and Elias...you two and your obliviousness to your feelings blows my mind…

I don't think the Prince would like that comparison too much. And I promise you I'm not crushing on Marelda. No way.

Authoress: Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that. You're just afraid to get close to people due to a lonesome childhood. Authoress out!

Bye.

Man, she's crazier than I thought. It's not a crush.

Authoress (faintly in the distance): I heard that! And yes it is!

...And she's out of earshot. Good. And it's not a crush.

I can't get too close to people, after all. It would only come back to bite me.

* * *

Of the three knives Marelda got for her seventh birthday, the second largest has a blade about four inches long. It's fairly slim for a knife, and it's not a very thick blade. However, it is very strong and works well for slashing things.


	3. Chapter 2

TheFallenHer0: No, Marelda's teacher isn't Glenn. I'm saving all the new characters from Cerim on for the next generation (meaning the entire Princess of Crystal trilogy will be included in Aurora's story).

* * *

Chapter 2

Marelda's POV

"Again!"

I begin the drill again. Left slash. Uppercut. Spin slash. Feint lowercut. Right slash. Spin stab.

"Again!"

I've done this particular drill so many times. It's been ingrained into my muscle memory to the point where it leaves my mind to wander. I vaguely acknowledge Sir Vargas call the drill change to another set.

I haven't seen Luca today. He normally pops up at least once. He's been doing it for almost a month now. I remember the first time he popped up, he tried to trick me into thinking he was lost. Bull. I had payed a little more attention since then, and had heard a lot of talk about Luca Orlem.

Mostly, he was a bad boy flirt who liked to skip class, annoy Elias Goldstein, and screw off. His grades didn't matter to him even though he was said to be pretty smart. He was also apparently good friends with that girl, Selene Fonix, who seemed to be one of the most popular people in the school, despite only having been here a couple of months. I hadn't even seen her. The girl named Amelia Nile, who's in my classes, used to be her roommate.

And the talk about the girl had sharply increased, because she supposedly disappeared last weekend for reasons unknown. The rumors were flying.

I didn't put much stock into rumors, though. In my experience, many barely have a grain of truth, if any truth at all.

For instance, the rumors about Luca weren't all that correct. He wasn't much of a flirt, at least with me. He just liked to tease me and push my buttons and be annoying. He skipped class because they rarely taught him anything. He had mentioned that he often spent a lot of time in the archives and the deepest recesses of the library, reading. For some reason he trusted me enough to tell me things like that.

There were other rumors that were accurate, though. He admitted to me himself that he loved getting the Goldstein boy worked up, because the reactions were hilarious. I can believe that, particularly since he likes annoying me during my breaks from training.

There was also something I noticed that he didn't tell me directly. Most people say I don't pay attention to anything but my training. They're both right and wrong. Paying attention to my surroundings and what's going on is _part_ of my training. And I tend to notice things that not even rumors catch wind of.

Luca, for instance, likes to draw.

He hasn't told me, but I've seen the pencil and ink smudges on his hands. He's even got them on his face sometimes, where he'd use his hand to brush back his hair. I've noticed, on occasion, a sketchbook among his things, or poking out of his bag. I don't think he knows that I know. It seems to be something about himself that he guards.

Another thing. He's very guarded, and not willing to talk about himself. He'll ask me questions but dodges most of the ones I ask in return, not so much the ones pertaining to current events, but questions about his past, anything pre-academy. I personally think his normal behavior is a front for something. What, I don't know. But I don't think I've ever seen the real Luca, and I doubt anyone else has either. Maybe his family, if he has one. He's never mentioned them.

I wonder where he is. He's not come to bother me today. Maybe he decided to actually go to class for once, _without_ Selene bribing him with sweets. Yes, I know all about that. He'll share them with me, on the occasion he can convince me to try some. I'm not a huge fan of sweet things, but even I'll admit that Selene is good at cooking. And from what Luca says, she sounds pretty interesting. But I'll reserve judgement for when and if I actually meet her.

Like I said—I don't put much trust in second hand information. Even if Luca's information tends to be more accurate than most.

And I don't miss him or anything. It's more like good riddance.

Yeah. That's it.

…. …. ….

I didn't see him again until Thursday. I have to say that's the longest I've gone without seeing him during the week. Training was much easier, though I will admit it was less interesting. He popped up randomly halfway through class. I was doing drills by myself. Sir Vargas had been called away yesterday. Something about a disturbance in the west. My guess was raiders from Eclos, our neighbors along most of the western border.

Eclos was a ruined country. They had been run by gangs for almost a century. They did nothing but take. The sad thing was, they couldn't do much else. Almost exactly 97 years ago, the land in Eclos suddenly stopped growing crops. The surrounding countries tried to give aid, but they found that the more they did so, the worse their own countries resources became. Gedonelune, the richest and most prosperous of the countries, had been the longest to help, and had stopped helping around sixty years ago. Rumors said that the fae had completely left Eclos, after the fae monarchy was highly offended for some reason or another by the royal family of Eclos, causing them to completely leave the country. And since Eclos was left with nothing, they fell into anarchy, and formed groups within the country that both fought each other and stole from the surrounding nations. Gedonlune was the only country that still allowed refugees from that country, even though that's rare now. And even we only allowed children.

While I believed that the fae were responsible for a lot of the things in nature, I have my doubts about them being responsible for Eclos' fate. Plus, the only thing about Eclos that matters to me is protecting our people from their raiders. To prevent other kids from losing their fathers and elder brothers.

Back to today.

"So where's Sir Yells-a-Lot?" said a familiar playful voice behind me, "And I do have the most interesting story to tell. The new girl, Katalina Sommer, made it rain in class yesterday. Her magic's a mess, let me tell you."

I finished the drill I was on before turning to him. "His name is Sir Vargas and he's a remarkable man and warrior. You shouldn't be so disrespectful." I scold.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, bella." Luca's smug smirk made me want to throw something at his face.

"Don't call me that." I turned back to the training dummy and began another drill.

"Sorry, not sorry. When are you going to accept that you're beautiful, bella?"

"When. It. Hap. Pens. Mean. Ing. Ne. Ver." Each word was a staccato in time with a hit made upon the dummy. I wouldn't never have the muscle mass to be a strength-type warrior. My "strength" lay in my speed and agility.

"Why so frustrated today? Is it because your idol's missing?" He teased.

My drill ended. "He's not my idol. And he's been called west for a while."

That made Luca become a bit more serious, "For what reason?"

"No clue. My guess: raiders. Again."

He sat under the shade of a nearby tree, leaning against its trunk. "Come sit. Something tells me you've been working without any breaks all morning."

Normally I wouldn't listen to the likes of him, but I knew I needed a break. "Unless it's in the middle of the battle, take regular breaks. No use burning yourself out while you're training." Sir Vargas once told me.

I began a few cooling down stretches in the shade. Always stretch before sitting after training. Or you'll cramp up badly. Same with other forms of exercise, like horse riding.

"You're worried." Luca was far more observant than most people gave him credit for. He wasn't stupid, not by a long shot.

"Yeah. I am."

"You think they're going to hit Elston, don't you?"

I nodded. Nevermind that the majority of Gedonelune and the surrounding countries were in the middle of winter, the raiders didn't have a time schedule that followed seasons. The academy and the surrounding areas wasn't really affected by the seasons. It was practically late spring year round here. Starton, the nearest town, only got the occasional dusting of snow, but I had never seen or heard of snow making it to the academy. They say the weather is controlled by magic.

"I'm sure they'll be fine. You've trained them well, haven't you?" Luca was referring to my family. Every summer I went back home and spent it training my family, as well as a lot of other families from my hometown, how to hide in a way that they won't be found by raiders.

"It doesn't matter. Too much of it is still left to chance. I wish there was a way to permanently seal the border so we wouldn't have to be worried about constant attacks." I said.

"Even if it denies the children from escaping?"

"They're not our people. I know it sounds cruel, but I think our people should come first. We tried to help, we did. We still are, in some ways. We nearly bled ourselves dry to help them. But what do they do? They come across our border, steal our resources and kill our people. I'd rather have them dead than us. They can't chose where they're born, no more than we can. But they choose to make the choices they do. And they should have to suffer the consequences." I sigh, "At this point it's almost a 'them' or 'us' thing, Luca, and at this point I only care about the 'us'."

I'm not entirely sure, but I think I may have made him mad. "So you're saying it's okay to give up on them because they're stuck? That's it's okay to give up because we're tired of trying to help?" His voice was turning dangerous. I'm confused. Why's he so upset about this?

"Yes. We've done too much in my opinion. If they stopped trying to hurt us, then by all means we should help their people. But they don't. They continue to injure and kill and maim _our_ people."

"So you think we should give up?" he barked a laugh, and I don't think it was just me when I say it sounded bitter, "Maybe we should. Just give up on all the hopeless cases. I mean, that's why their called hopeless cases, aren't they? Ha!"

"We're not talking about the Eclos people anymore, are we?"

He froze, "Perhaps not. I'd better go. Class and all." He stood up and walked off, not even saying a form of goodbye, which was extremely unusual. I must have upset him more than I thought I did.

But I'm not taking back what I said about Eclos. I may have felt bad about offending him, but I did not regret my opinion of those violent leeches.

How could I when they were the ones who killed Pa and Parker?

* * *

Marelda's smallest birthday knife has a blade about three inches long. It is the absolute sharpest of the three knifes. It's a double-edged blade and folds up, so it's kind of like a pocket knife. Careful, though, because it can cut through lots of things.


	4. Chapter 3

As you guys may or may not have noticed, this story now has an actual cover image! The awesome picture was created by a good friend of mine, Daisy Pragnya! Thanks again Daisy!

TheFallenHer0: I'm glad you like the inclusion of other countries! As you probably know, I'm planning on making the Elemental Spiral, once it's done, into my own original story. To do that, I'm going to have to change all the names that came from the original game. One of those is the country name. Fun Fact: Out of a handful of country names to replace Gedonelune (which I had random people vote on), Eclos came in second, so I decided I might as well use it for a foreign countries. I'll give you what would be the new name for Gedonelune will be: Aprea. And the royal family's name will be D'Aprea. That's the name that won, and it's really grown on me. :)

* * *

Chapter 3

Luca's POV

I don't know why what she said made me so mad. I should care, after all.

Maybe it was the idea of giving up on those people. I hated it when people just gave up. There was a reason I didn't have many friends. Who wants to be friends with the slacker who's always getting in trouble? There was Selene, mind, but she was pretty much the exception to every rule. Besides, she split her attention between so many people, mostly the Goldstein brother's and Yukiya, though she'd be seen chatting with half the people in the academy. I rarely saw her outside of classes, because she was always with the Emperor in his office after classes and busy on the weekends.

I didn't blame her, I couldn't blame her. I liked her, yes, and considered her pretty much my only friend, and I felt some sort of draw towards her that I couldn't explain, but I couldn't monopolize her time. I didn't have that right. If anyone did, it was her buddy, but Selene was always giving her attention to several people at once.

And as much as I liked Marelda—and before you butt in Authoress, not in a romantic way—I can't even consider her a friend at this point. It was a couple months before I considered Selene a friend. A month isn't long enough, for me. I'm not that trusting.

Not even if they're as blunt and honest as a certain warrior-trainee I knew.

I decided that I might as well head to class. I heard that the lesson today in History was on the Tower of Sorrow, which was of interest to me. Maybe the headmaster knew something that the books in the library and the archives didn't. It's always worth a try.

The lesson started with the headmaster asking Elias a question about why people can't just go up to the Tower and visit the Dragon.

"Because the East Forest has been enchanted, in numerous layers, by the Three Mages to confuse and misdirect all those who set foot in it." Elias began, "There are some who say that the only way to be able to get to through the forest and to the tower are those who are either of Fae blood or Fae gifted, otherwise known as Fae touched, and can hear the magic that guides them." This is the song Yukiya can hear, and the one I'm pretty sure Katalina can also hear. "This being because the Fae tend to be guardians and keepers of relics and are generally very untrusting of humans, making it a great way to protect things such as the Tower of Sorrow. Furthermore, it is said that only someone with the blood of the royal family of Gedonelune are able to access the room which contains the Dragon of Time. Currently, that would be the king, his father, and his two sons." I had my suspicions about that last bit.

"Good job, Elias, you can be seated. But I think you're neglecting a bit of the royal family." The headmaster replied, "Can anyone complete it?"

"The Vanished Sisters." I said seriously. This is where my suspicions come into play.

"That's right, Luca. There used to be two more members of the royal family—the twin sister of the king, and their younger sister. The older sister, the current king's twin, was named Aurora Twilight completely vanished soon after her engagement to Duke Bertolt, approximately thirty-five years ago. We do know that she died about ten years ago, because the jewel under her portrait of the royal family tree stopped glowing."

But just because she died doesn't mean she didn't do plenty in the time she was gone, like marry and have children, for instance. If she had children, their names wouldn't have been added to the tree because no one knew of them, after all. So much had been dedicated to finding her, but it was concluded that she was not going to be found in this country, or anywhere near it. Most think she ended up on a different continent. I'm part of the minority who think it was something else. I, personally, think she may have found a way to escape to Terra. Until about two decades ago, stable transfer places were few and far between. Nowadays they're more common, but they're not used that much for people from this side. Terra would've been the perfect place for a runaway princess to hide. The magical communities there are few and far between, most preferring to keep to themselves. Selene's family was larger than most, and while pretty much everyone came to Myula for schooling, most lived there, among the regs, or normal, non-magical people. The regular people.

"The younger sister, Princess Aulelia, was said to have kept in contact with her sister, but refused to reveal as to where she had gone, only that she had a family and was happy. But then Princess Aulelia herself retreated from public eye and was not heard from again, about twenty years ago, and within two years of her disappearance, her jewel also lost it's light."

This is what I was more interested in. While there was a manhunt for the older princess, it was almost as if the younger had been swept out of public view for fear of a scandal. I had lots of theories and suspicions about her.

"King Wilkin, then only Prince Wilkin, was said to have nearly gone mad with grief at losing his two beloved sisters. The kingdom will always miss the princesses. That is why there is a special tribute to them each year in the Memory Festival." The headmaster nodded respectfully, then continued on about the Tower of Sorrow. Now that I think about it, we've talked about this topic a couple times before this year. But this is the first time the Vanished Princesses came into play. It sounds like something Selene would be interested in.

At one point, I was asked to share my experiences trying to get through the East Forest. I warned the class away from it. It was scary even for me. That forest preys on your fears. It's literally alive. But there was a reason I had tried. A reason that keeps growing the more I find. Secrets that are mine to know.

At the end of classes, I went over to Katalina, who had been talking to Yukiya. I had noticed that Elias had been doing his best to ignore her existence. Time to stir things up.

"Hey, Kittycat, have you thought about getting a tutor to help you with your magic?" I told her, "Because I'd _love_ to help you."

I put my hand on her shoulder, but she quickly pushed it away. She was smiling, though.

"Thank you so much for the offer, Luca, but I'll be okay!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Huh? Why? But it's pretty rough trying to figure it all out yourself, isn't it?" I asked.

"Well, that's probably true, but…" she began.

"And I mean, it's not like your buddy's going to be helping you anytime soon. C'mon." Elias was taking the bait. I could almost feel his irritation from here. It was wonderfully amusing.

"I want to do it myself," Katalina insisted, "I want to get as far as I can, alone."

But this just made my smile grow, and I laughed a bit, "I knew it, you are an interesting one!"

"Y-yeah?" she sounded confused at my sudden change of attitude.

I winked at her, "Yeah, I'm getting more interested by the minute."

"I-interested…?" she shook her head, "Anyway, I'll make it work somehow."

"All right." I finally said, "But if you want any help, just ask."

She smiled, "Sure thing. Thanks."

I nodded and headed out as Elias fumed without realizing why. Ha. I wonder if she'll really take the advice I gave her yesterday, about trying to get ahold of the Persona Mirror to try and impress Elias. If she told him about the idea, I bet he'd freak, being the rule-obsessed stiff he is. I can see how the two of them are going to end up. Either estranged, which is less likely, or madly in love with the other yet two bashful to do anything. I'm finding the whole thing painfully obvious. Gotta love Prince Elias and his social/emotional constipation, am I right?

…. …. ….

The next class, the last one of the day, finds me in the archives. Normally Mr. G's class was fairly interesting, enough for me to want to show up, but my research is more important. There are secrets about my past, and they're based at this academy. The involvement of a certain professor causes the plot to thicken.

I find a book on the genealogy of the royal family. This particular copy is a rare version. It updates itself using magic. Only a few copies, from what I can tell, exist, and this may be the only one that isn't in the royal archives at the palace. Then again, this _is_ the academy supported by the royal family. And few students actually go into the archives, so who would expect anyone to find it?

This book updates itself magically, even adding pages when it needs to. While it can tell you the amount of people who are born or married into it, it can't tell you more than that. No names, genders, or any other information. Just blank portrait circles. And, like the magical tree tapestry, it can tell you when the person is deceased, as well as when. The births and deaths of the blood-related members are recorded. The married-ins are shown as well.

For instance, Princess Aulelia has one child. Her death is dated the same day as the child's birth. October 15th. My birthday.

I opened the book to the last page that had the most recent members. It's changed, from the last time I looked at it. And that was just last week.

I'm not sure if anyone but myself realized that this book says that both of the Vanished Princesses have children. And that Princess Aurora's children have children. Princess Aurora had a husband, death dated around eighteen years ago, about six months before the birth of their youngest child. They had seven children. And not even a full year after the seventh was born, another one was born. There was no father listed in the book, meaning the princess was not married to this man. Of the seven original children, three are married with six children between them. The empty portrait of the eldest child had faded from white to grey, joining their parents. Pictures were in color when the people were alive. They faded to black and white when they died. That's what happened when the old king died about two years ago, soon after I found this book.

That means the oldest child of Princess Aurora is no longer living.

I'm pretty sure Selene, from my information, went home to Terra because her brother died.

Selene has seven older half-brothers, three sister-in-laws, and six nephews. They all live in Terra, where I believed the Princess Aurora disappeared to. Her mother died when she was

I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner.

Selene might just be the daughter of the oldest Vanished Princess of Gedonelune.

And I might just be her cousin.

* * *

About a year after Marelda entered the academy, her mother and stepfather bought her a few different colored sets of Bobby Knives. They're a weaponized version of Bobby Pins. The pin part in and of itself is the sheath, while the "knives" (they're really more like needles) can be pulled from the sheathes and thrown or used to poke things. They can be coated in anything from anesthetics to poison to sedatives. They're very helpful littles things, particularly if a warrior has to go undercover and can't openly carry weapons. They come in a variety of colors (but they're specialized and not so cheap, as only one weapons guild makes them), and Marelda has a set (a full set comes with fifty Bobby Knives) of black, a set of bronze, a set of silver, and a set of copper. She hasn't had much use for them yet, but they'll likely be helpful once she's in the field, as she specializes in speed and stealth more than strength.


	5. Chapter 4

TheFallenHer0: Yeah, there are going to be several bumps in the relationship between Marelda and Luca—but they will prevail because they're both as stubborn as heck! (At least Marelda is…). And last chapter is when, for Luca, everything clicked. To bad he won't be able to tell Selene for almost a month.

Daisy Pragnya: I'm glad you're liking all my additions to the history of Gedonelune. The Vanished Sisters are going to play a pretty big part in Warrior, and in Halfing (at least at a certain section of it). I have to say that I quite like Greek Mythology (along with various other kinds of mythology), mostly because of the books written by Rick Riordan (he's an amazing author, you should look him up). And since you asked three times in your review, I'll write a little mini lesson on the Fae. Fae is an old version of fairy. It's a word found in a lot of fairy-related stories. Where fairies are seen as more Tinker-Bell type creatures, the Fae are magical beings/creatures who are as likely to harm you as they are to help (more likely to harm in lots of cases). They can be seen as all sorts of non-human creatures, from trolls to the gentry (kind of like royal fae) to the will-o-the-wisp to shadows and demons. There are infinitely many kinds from all over the world, and are often used in literature. The best part is, you can create your own, use ones from legends, or twist old ideas. The possibilities are limitless. In the Elemental Spiral, I'm calling the fairies, fae, mostly because I don't see them all as kind and sweet (and they aren't in the original game, either). They, as a general populace, dislike humans. The fae in the Elemental Spiral include pretty much any type or kind I feel is needed, which is one of the joys of fiction writing, no?

* * *

Chapter 4

Marelda's

I decided that, after classes, I was going to go locate Luca and apologize for earlier. Not for what I said, but for the implication that he should be given up on. The whole "So you're saying we should just give up on the hopeless cases?" thing. I didn't mean for him to take it personally.

The problem is, while I knew where I was likely to find him during classes he skipped—library, archives, the lake, and a few other locations—I have no clue where he'd be after classes. So I ran to his classroom as soon as the bell rang.

He wasn't there. Crap.

I didn't know who most of the people who were exiting the door, but I did recognize one. It was hard not too, seeing as how everyone knew who his older brother was—it's true, they almost were twins. Only, Elias Goldstein was shorter and not so masculine. His manner screamed "book nerd," whereas his brother seemed to radiate authority.

"Excuse me, Goldstein?" I said as he walked out the door.

He stopped and turned to face me, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, I'm Marelda Kramer, and I'm looking for Luca Orlem. Would you happen to know where he is?"

At the mention of Luca's name, he seemed to tense. So he really _didn't_ like Luca. "What'd he do this time?"

"Nothing, really, if you can believe it. I actually have to apologize to him. I was kind of rude earlier, more than I needed to be. Would you know where he's likely to be after classes?" I asked.

He shook his head, "Sorry, I don't. And he rarely gets back to the dorms until right before curfew, so at least I can say he won't be there."

"Archives." Said a quiet voice. A boy with black-blue hair had just come out of the classroom. I had a really strange feeling that I'd seen him before, and he seemed really familiar. I pushed the feeling away. I'd probably just seen him around the academy somewhere. "I'm pretty sure he'll be there today."

"Oh." I blinked, a little surprised, "Thank you, I'll check there." I nodded my head to them and began walking away.

"How do you know he'll be there?" Elias asked the other boy.

"He was distracted after History. He tends to go the the archives when he's distracted. Distracted Luca is thinking Luca." Was the simple reply. Huh. That boy is clearly one who pays attention to his surroundings. I can admire that.

I didn't hear what else was said as I hurried towards the archives. I never really carried a bag around with me, so I didn't have to worry about one. I was armed, though, both with wand and with physical weapons concealed on my person. Looking back, it would have been a smart idea.

Luca was in the archives, towards the back. He had a large sketchbook open, and was surrounded by books. He seemed to be making some sort of chart with a timeline. He looked far more serious than I had ever seen him. He had some sort of strange writing utensil behind his ear—the one with the one green earring in the earlobe—as he flipped through the pages of an old book.

"Luca?" I said hesitantly.

He jumped, quickly closing the sketchbook and flicking his wand. All the books darted to different bookshelves. He looked up at me, trying to conceal his surprise behind a playful grin, "Bella? Whatever are you doing here? You're not really the bookish type."

I raised a suspicious eyebrow, "I came to apologize for offending you earlier. I wasn't trying to say we should give up on people like you. And that you're not hopeless. Not at all. You're just a bit lazy and not serious where you should be."

He laughed, but it was a bit forced. "We'll that was double edged, bella, just like you. Lovely and sharp."

"And now I'm thinking you're up to something. What were you just doing?"

"Ah, nothing too important. Just a project."

"Not for school, I assume, seeing as you don't really do projects for school. Personal, then?" I inched closer, in an out-of-character burst of curiosity. He inched back.

"Yup. Just found something interesting and decided to research it a bit." He grinned and tried to move past me, "Well, I'd better get going. Things to do and all. Have a lovely day, bella!"

However, I wasn't about to just let it go. I stayed perfectly still until he was almost past me and then snatched his notebook. His breath caught and he whirled, reaching for it. However, I was taller by a good two inches. And a lot faster. I darted out of the archives, his sketchbook clutched to my chest. He gave chase, but he was carrying a shoulder bag—which, by the way, throws off your center of balance and makes running more awkward than one you'd wear on your back—and he wasn't in nearly as good shape as I was.

I made it to the lake before I slowed to a stop. I'm pretty sure I'd lost him. I quickly began flipping through the pages, trying to ignore the used ones. This boy could draw. And draw _well_. Nature scenes, people, most of whom I didn't recognize, and one that was of me, holding a staff position. I hated those drills, where you had to hold as still as you could while balancing a heavy staff. But I needed them.

The picture of me made me pause, but I shook my head and continued flipping, eventually finding the page. It was a sort of family tree, with a lot of empty ovals where there would be people. He had labeled names, with dates of birth and death. _Aurora_ , married to an unknown husband, both having death dates. They had seven children named, in order, _Johnathan_ , who was the only one with a death date, _Matthias, Matthew, Inan, Wade, Eric, Merlin_. There was a seventh child, connected to the same mother but not father. _Selene_ was the name underneath it. Could it be the family tree of Selene Fonix? Why would he be drawing that?

Then I notice something off to the side, connected as a sibling to _Aurora_. _Aulelia_. With a child connected. It says _Luca_ with a question mark after it.

Wait. Aurora. Aulelia. Those are the names of the two Vanished Princesses. What do they have to do with…?

My thoughts are abruptly cut off as the sketchbook is pulled from my hands. Crap dang it! I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I missed his approach.

"Did you like your look?" Luca's voice contained a cool anger that surprised me. His breathing was heavy and he was winded, but that didn't have much of an effect.

I whirled around to face it, "Why are you putting yourself as the son of the younger Vanished Princess? And Selene as the daughter of the elder one, as well as what I assume to be her family?"

"That's none of your business." He glared at me, "And I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from touching my things."

"Luca." I sighed, calming down, "I've never seen you as distracted as you were when I walked in on you. I'm not going to say anything about this, but I'd appreciate your telling me. I hate to admit it, but I'm kind of worried."

That seemed to surprise him, because his glare ended and his eyes widened. I continued.

"Please, let me help you. You owe me, after all. That month of disrupting my training counts for something." I look him right in the eyes, and it seems to unnerve him slightly. I've been told my blank stare into someone's eyes can have that effect.

He sighed, "Fine, but I swear if you tell anyone anything I'm going to tell you, you'll regret it, bella."

"I can live with that." I replied, "No matter how talented you might be with magic, you don't put in nearly enough work to win against me, bud."

"Ha! There's the fiery spirit we all love!" He teases, relaxing.

I roll my eyes, "Shut up about useless things and start talking, moron."

* * *

Of the many weapons Marelda practices, the staff is her least favorite. While she can deal close-combat weapons, she prefers ranged ones, particularly throwing knives and things like her sling. The staff she uses for practice is about six feet long and about an inch and a half in diameter, with the last five inches of each end being closer to two inches. The one she uses in real-weapon practice is also six feet long, but the last six inches on each side are blades.


	6. Chapter 5

Daisy Pragnya: I'm glad your enjoying this story. I've honestly had a lot of fun writing it because I get to add in a bunch of little details about Gedonelune I've come up with, and a bunch of other things I can only write with Marelda because she notices a lot of really interesting yet minute details. As for Luca revealing his past, that's more of next chapter. In this chapter, it's actually Selene we learn about. Things Selene doesn't even get to learn until sometime in Halfling.

TheFallenHer0: Well, you might confirm your connection in this chapter or the next! There are a lot of things we get to learn in the next two chapters. I love this story, I get to reveal so many things and make so many hints to other things…

* * *

Update: April 21, 2017—Added some details for something.

* * *

Chapter 5

Luca's POV

I was so surprised when Marelda demanded to know what was going on, well, not really, what really surprised me was she said it was because she was worried about me. Other than Selene, that was new. She looked into my eyes and I was toast. I lose.

I don't even entirely know why. It doesn't make sense to me. Why am I so willing to do what she says?

Authoress: Because you're falling in love, duh.

I've told you before that isn't the case.

Authoress: And I've told you it was. And I'm the one making this story, so I'm just going to tell you that you two are eventually going to end up married with two children.

I can see why the Prince finds you annoying.

Authoress: And I can see why he finds you annoying.

Touche.

Authoress: Well, bye now! I'm going to go work on my two English portfolios.

Goodbye.

"So," Marelda said, "Are you going to tell me what this is all about or not?"

I had led her to a more secluded area, namely, a clearing in the forest. I knew for sure that there were no human eavesdroppers. Since we're in nature, I cannot dismiss the fae, since they love listening in, but they're not going to tell anyone what they've heard. For them, the thrill is doing it without getting caught. But nevermind them.

"I am. But first, take a seat." I plop myself down and start rifling through my bag, and pull out a notebook where I've been putting my thoughts down. "I had an epiphany earlier today, after history. You saw the sketchbook. I'll get back to that later. The lesson in history was on the Tower of Sorrow, but the topic at one point strayed to talking about the Vanished Princesses. That got me thinking: the Tower is supposed to protect the greatest treasures of the royal family, right?"

"Yeah, and?" She didn't look like she was getting it.

"In a country so wealthy, most of the royal treasure is stored in the treasury. So what if the treasures stored in the Tower aren't physical wealth? What if it's something a lot more precious than silver or gold? Something not so easily regained?"

Her eyes widened as she came to a realization, "Information?"

"Precisely." I nodded, "I mean, what better place to hide secrets?"

"Wow. You really _aren't_ as dumb as you like to play."

I laughed outright, "Thanks again for the double-edged compliment."

She rolled her eyes, "Just continue, will you? How are you and the Selene girl connected to the Vanished Princesses?"

"I'll get to that. First, I have to tell you a few things. The reason I was copying things down is because you can't take things from the archives without special permission, because most of the things in there are rare, old, valuable, or all three. The book I've been focusing on is a book that magically updates itself with the genealogy of the royal family, and there's probably only one or two other copies of this book. However, it is limited and can only tell you a few things. One, that the person either married into the royal family, or was born into it. Two, the birth and death dates. Other than that, not much of anything. There are only pictures for those the family tree tapestry at the palace. I've known about this book for a while. I found it shortly before the old king died."

"That means you've been at the academy longer than I have. Why in heck aren't you in a higher class?" She raised her eyebrow.

"Ah ha…haa…I got held back a few times." I rubbed the back of my head with my hand.

"I should've known. Lazy moron."

"Thanks." I grin at her briefly before continuing, "Anywho, I thought it was interesting, because there was a husband for Princess Aurora, meaning she had eloped with some unknown man. They had seven children. The father died about six months before the youngest of the seven was born."

"What about the eighth, the one you think is Selene? She's not connected to a father." Marelda looked a bit confused.

"I think it's because the princess wasn't married to the father. Remember King Jacob, about five crowns back? He had several children out of wedlock. When you look back at those pages, none of the illegitimates are connected to mothers, but the two he had with his legal wife were. You can see the same thing with Princess Aulelia. She's got a child but there's no father listed for the child." I explained.

"Okay. I guess that makes sense. And why do you think it's Selene's family?" she asked.

"Princess Aurora had eight with her husband. Three of those children are married, with six of their own children between them. Selene has seven older brothers, three sister-in-laws, and six nephews." I said.

"Wait, back up. You said the princess had eight children, not seven." She scrunched up her forehead in confusion.

"One of them has the same birth and death date." I said quietly. She was silent for a moment, realizing what this mean. I decided to move on. "Selene and her youngest older brother, Merlin, are less than a year apart. She's said that neither her nor Merlin have met their fathers, because both passed before they were born. Not to mention, the youngest child of the princess was born on the winter solstice almost seventeen years ago. Selene turns seventeen this coming winter solstice. What really made it click, though, was recent. You've heard all the rumors that she's disappeared, right?"

"Yes. But you know I don't put much stock in secondhand information." Marelda shrugged.

"Well, I've got it from the closest source that I can get it. This morning I was listening in to a conversation between the headmaster and Schuyler…"

"Really? Are you kidding me?" She glared at me, clearly unhappy about my actions, "You are so lucky you don't have a buddy. I shiver to think of what the poor buddy would have to suffer through. Grades and record trashed. And there should be a 'professor' before his name, Luca."

"Yeah, yeah, sure thing. Back on track. I heard them discuss a note they had gotten from the Emperor today. Apparently, Selene's oldest brother died in an accident on Friday." I flipped my sketchbook to the page where I'd been copying the genealogy book. "Earlier today when I looked into the book, one of the empty portraits had greyed itself out. They do that when the person is deceased. The picture of the old king did that, about two years ago. The portrait that did that was the oldest son of Princess Aurora. And look at the death date." I angled the sketchbook towards her.

Marelda gasped, "That was last Friday…"

"And that's why I think her family is the family of Princess Aurora. I've had a theory that the princess somehow escaped to Terra. They weren't able to find her here, and it was like she completely disappeared. Back when this happened, the ability to go between Myula and Terra was extremely limited. There weren't any permanent, stable transfer areas like there are now. Most of the common people thought Terra in and of itself was a myth. It was actually Selene who made me think of this, about two, three months ago. She said that most people in Terra viewed magic as a fictional concept, and that the majority of magical people and families kept to themselves, and were spread out about the entirety of their world. Her family was the only magical family, with the exception of a really small one that actually married into her family, for over five hundred miles. However, nowadays the locations of these magical families are very carefully kept track of, as communication and travel abilities far exceed what we can do here, and news can spread within hours, minutes, seconds to the other sides of the world."

"What do you mean? They can't be that advanced. I mean, we have trains and such. And magic." Marelda couldn't seem to comprehend what I had told her. I sigh. This is another explanation.

"According to Selene, the lack of magic spurred immense technological advancements, particularly in the last century. They don't really need magic. They don't have fae, so they don't have to worry about them. They can do all sorts of things not even magic can always do. They've got horseless carriages that run on some sort of non-magical energy and can travel a thousand miles in a few hours. They have metal birds that can contain lots of people and fly around the world, as well as smaller versions that can be used for fighting and pleasure. They have these things called 'guns' that can shoot little bits of metal at high speeds over distance as weapons. They have explosives that can destroy everything for miles and leave toxins that last generations. They have devices that can communicate with anyone in the world almost instantly—I've seen one. They're called 'phones' and Selene's brother, Merlin, has enchanted several of them for their family to be able to reach across the dimension barrier to Myula and talk to another enchanted phones on this side. They've had people leave the world, up into the sky, among the stars. They've had people who have walked on their moon."

Marelda was frozen, eyes wide, mouth open, "Y-you're kid-kidding! You must be trying to pull something over on me!"

I shook my head, "I've seen pictures on Selene's phone. She's not kidding. Terrans don't have magic, yes, but they sure as heck don't need it. But we've strayed from the matter at hand. When the princess would have escaped there, the tabs that were kept on the magical populations were very poor and non-current. She once mentioned that when her oldest brother first started going to a magical school in Myula, that the entire family had to be registered on both sides, because none of them had been. It would've been a perfect place for the princess and her lover to hide and raise a family, to remain unnoticed until the searching died down. Selene's mother was originally from Myula, Gedonelune to be exact. Selene, I'm pretty sure, knows nothing about the Vanished Princess', nor do I think she would've made the connection to her mother if she did. After all, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who knows about the book."

Marelda rubbed her temples, her eyes closed, "This is all making too much sense. But didn't you say something about other copies of the book existing? And why haven't you told anyone about the Princesses having children to anyone? I'm pretty sure that's something that people would want to know."

"Ha!" I snorted, "The other copies, I assume, are in the royal archives. No one at the palace seems to care enough to check, or have thought to check. Or, if they know, they're keeping quiet about it for some reason or another. Besides, I hate giving away incomplete information. I deal in full facts, not partialities."

She nodded, understanding, "And so what are you going to do now that you've figured all this out?"

"I'm going to keep doing my research." I said, "When Selene gets back, I'll likely share it with her, see if she or any of her brother do, in fact, have any missing details."

"One other thing." she said slowly.

"Yeah?"

"What about the other princess? The younger one, Princess Aulelia? Why do you think you might be her son?"

I sighed. I might as well tell her.

* * *

Earlier, Luca saw Marelda using a sword which she conjured up with her wand. The name of the sword is Copprus. It is stored, when not in use, in a little pocket dimension. Anything stored in a pocket dimension, or a magically created space that doesn't exist in the normal planes, has to have something tying it to the physical world. Copprus is attached to a coppery metal ring embedded in the base of Marelda's wand. It's about two feet in length, a coppery color, and has two modes: practice and combat. Practice mode is dulled on the edges, and combat had edges so sharp it could cut a hair in half. Watch out for it.


	7. Chapter 6

I don't know if I've said it before, but Luca is about eighteen. Marelda is just a little younger, turning eighteen the next spring.

PetVet1023: Yeah, Luca's a lot smarter than he acts, and what most people give him credit for. He's just not interested in what most of the teachers are teaching. And thank you so much for the compliment! I was always annoyed by stories with poor grammar, so I didn't want to do something that annoyed me when other people do it. That, and I'm making writing into my career, so I kind of need to be good at it. That's why most of my time (spare or otherwise) goes into writing and improving I listened to the song! It was really pretty. As for recommendations, have you ever heard of Lindsey Stirling? She's my favorite musician. She's a dancing violinist, so not only are her songs amazing, she's got so many cool music videos. My two favorites of her songs are Something Wild and Song of the Caged Bird. I'd give them a listen!

TheFallenHero: To be honest...I haven't gotten that far. Selen hasn't even visited Johnny's grave at the point I'm at. And I can't do much until after that. The problem is, I haven't even really touched the Elemental Spiral in a month. Between layout week in journalism, and having two writing portfolios to put together, coupled with my own lack of desire to actually get something written...I've gotten next to nothing done. But Luca probably will be the one to explain this all to Selene, but it won't be after until she's almost figured it out herself. Luca's information is missing a few keys, but Selene will only find those missing keys, so once they come together, it'll all make sense and have information to prove it to everyone. It'll be something, that's for sure. As for Copprus, we'll definitely see more of it. Heck, she'll even have to use it against a Chimera at some point. (I will not say more, and will leave you to your own speculation. ;)

* * *

Chapter 6

Marelda's POV

"What about the other princess? The younger one, Princess Aulelia? Why do you think you might be her son?" I asked.

He sighed, his hand reaching up and fiddling with his one earring. I don't even think it was a conscious movement—he tended to rub the green jewel when he was thinking.

He took a breath, "Towards the beginning of the school year, I was in Schuyler's off…"

" _Professor_ Schuyler."

"Yeah yeah, anyway, I was in his office, and I spotted something. I'm pretty sure it was a match to this." He tugs on his earring. "I've worn this for longer than I can remember. It's always been there. I've always assumed that it belonged to my mother, seeing as it's a woman's earring. So when I saw the match in Schuyler's office, I became curious. So I did some research into Schuyler's background. He's taught at the academy for around thirteen years. Before that by about four years, he was a royal advisor, did you know that?"

I shook my head, "I wouldn't have guessed that."

"It took long hours of looking through records to find that out. The academy library and archives are the only library in the country, probably in the continent, at least as complete as the royal archives. It's the backups, in case the files at the palace get damaged or destroyed. Next to no one knows that. I had to, ah, take some liberties to get access to these files, though."

"Seriously? You mean you broke in?" I sighed, "How did you _not_ get caught? They would've known if you unlocked it with magic."

"Naw, picked the lock. No magical trace, no damage done. So many people at this place forget that there are ways to do things without magic, and don't make spells against things like lock-picking." He shrugged, "Now, moving on from the how, to the what. Schuyler was also a good friend of the younger princess, since the two had pretty much grown up together. When she vanished, he quit his job in order to search for her, because no one was really allowed to go off and search for Princess Aulelia. They said the royal guard was looking for her, but I don't really think they were. Unlike Princess Aurora's disappearance, I don't think it was of her own free will. I think that the old king sent her away." Luca wouldn't look me in the eye, instead choosing to look up at the canopy of the trees, his hands supporting his weight behind him.

"Sent her away? Why? And why would he lie and say she disappeared, then? Particularly after how devastated the country and the prince were when the older sister disappeared." I felt like I was missing something, a detail that would make things click into place.

"I think she was pregnant."

My eyes widened and I could almost hear the click. "The child had no father in the book, did they?"

He shook his head, "Nope. I think, in order to prevent it from becoming a complete scandal, the king hid her away in secret, claiming she, too, had vanished. An easy scapegoat, huh, to blame it on the influence of the absent older sister? I think Schuyler found out and went with her."

"Then what happened, when the baby was born?" This plot was thickening. Our history may have been written wrong. Honestly, once he—we, because at this point I'm not going to let him do it by himself—get this figured out, with proof, I hope he takes to to someone who can fix the history and get the word out. People deserve to know. But that's only if he says yes.

"The death date of Princess Aulelia and the birthdate of the child were the same day." He said softly. Meaning the mother died in childbirth. It wasn't as common as it had been a few generations ago, but it still happened.

I put my hand on his knee, "Hey, cheer up. Whether it _was_ you or not, it's not the child's fault. There are many reasons. Besides, if it is you, you're still here, so someone cared enough to take care of you in her stead."

"Ha!" Luca sounded cynical and bitter, in a way I hadn't imagined he could sound, "Because locking a kid in a room for ten years, never making contact, and then teleporting them and a magical letter to a boarding school is most definitely caring."

I stared at him, completely taken aback, "Luca, you've said something about your past…you never talk about it." While the actual meaning was dreadful, I felt honoured and humbled that he was trusting me with such information.

"Yeah, it's kind of stupid." He still wasn't making eye contact with me.

"No it's not. I think it's serious and it clearly bothers you. I think you both need _and_ want to talk about it, even if you won't admit it." I looked at him, completely serious in my tone and expression, "So talk. I've already promised not to tell anyone, so you might as well. I mean, it's only fair, seeing as you've made me tell you a good deal about my own past." I had even told him about Parker and his death, even if I didn't go into detail. He's the only one outside of the village, with the exception of Sir Vargas and Elma, with her brother.

He looked over at me, head tilted. He sighed, "You're right. It's only fair I actually give a little, after taking so much, isn't it?"

He decided to lay back onto the grass and look up at the sky. I shrugged, and fell back onto the grass. Our heads were about a foot and a half apart, our feet pointing opposite directions. The wind makes the canopy of tree leaves above our head move in a calming rhythm. I've often heard people say the the waves of the ocean are calming. I've been to the ocean a few times, and the waves aren't all that relaxing. I've always found the wind in the trees to be the most soothing sound in the world.

Luca inhaled before beginning, "I don't have any memories before the age of about four or five. My earliest memories are of a room, exactly 300 yards by 250 yards. I measured once. It's got two rooms attached to it, a bathroom and an office-type room—both together would've been about the size of a single dorm room at the academy. The main room had a twin sized bed, a dresser, a nightstand, a small table, a couch, a few overstuffed chairs, and two large bookshelves. The office had a large desk and an entire wall taken up by another bookshelf. All three bookshelves were filled with books. They all had notes written in them, or comments. There were a lot of magic and history, but there were several novels that were completely fictional. There were also several that were written in a different language, one I didn't recognise."

I saw that he smiled slightly when he talked about those books. "How'd you know how to read? Or speak?"

"For the first couple years, I taught myself using some of the books. There were a few magical ones that could speak—well, more accurately, read themselves aloud. They were no good for conversation like some of the books here. I used them to learn, though. I read every book in those rooms, save for the foreign ones. Now that I think about it, they were in English." He chuckled, "I kind of wish I could go back and read them."

"What makes you think they were in English?" I asked.

"Selene." Ah. Of course. He snorted, "She decided about two months ago that since classes bored me, I needed something new to learn and set me to working on English assignments, making me learn it. You can apparently buy all sorts of things to practice over in Terra. She's also been teaching it to Prince Elias. He learns it willingly, though, being the scholar he is."

"Ha. This Selene seems smart. Idle hands are Evil's hands, after all." I tease.

"Yup." He laughs, "It's not bad, and it's something new to do. I recognised some of the characters, which I why I thought think, at this point, that they were English."

"Huh. Interesting. Did you ever leave that room?"

"Yeah. Tried that. There was no way to do so. Trust me when I say I tried. There was no way out, not by normal means."

"Then how did you live, survive?"

"Magic, I suppose. Three times a day, food appeared on the table in the room. Always at the same time. There was a single clock attached to one of the walls. At nine o'clock in the evening, exactly, the lights would shut off. They wouldn't turn on again until seven the next morning. At some point I learned how to use magic to make floating balls of light from one of the books, like the ones all around the academy, only temporary. Eventually, I learned that if I put a note on the plates before they disappeared, within the next day or so something else would appear. Most of the small things I asked for, like paper and writing utensils, sketch paper, more books, I got. Things like requests to see the outside world...well, those went unanswered. So everything I knew was from the books. At some point—I was probably about eight—I decided to try and draw the things in the books. I started by copying pictures that were there, then moved on to drawing things that were described, particularly things from the novels. Eventually I started drawing things I wanted to see one day. I had read about the outside, the sky, the cloud, the sun, the stars and moon. It kept me busy.

"Eventually I got around to practicing the magic explained in the books. Soon after I began, this appeared." He pulled his wand from his pocket. It wasn't one of the cheap, generic wands, not at all. It was one of the fancy, hand-crafted wands. Luca's was the emerald green, the same color as his earring. It was carved to look like vines wrapping around each other, creating a twisting effect. It was a pretty wand, much more so than mine. Mine was merely a normal dark brown wand. The only abnormality on it was the coppery ring embedded into it, that connected my sword, Copperus, to the physical realm. It was stored in a little pocket dimension, and anything stored in a pocket dimension needed a connection to the physical realm, hence the ring.

"It looks like a very expensive wand, a one of a kind." I comment.

"When I first got it, it had the same aura as the magic books that were in the room."

My eyes widened at that, "They belonged to the same person, then?"

"Yeah. I think so." He laughed, "And when I was about fifteen, so around three years ago, one of the acceptance letters appeared into the room. It went and explained to me that I was going to leave and go to a school to learn magic. It was a chance to get out of the room, and I took it. I was teleported to the academy. Thank goodness it was a weekend right before school started, so no one was really there. I probably looked like an idiot, gawking at everything. I was introduced to the headmaster, given a dorm room to myself. I hate to say it, but I actually cried a few times, like when I saw the sunset and rise, saw the stars and moon. And the library...not to mention when I found the archives a few weeks later...it was amazing compared to the room. This kind of freedom was new. Then classes started. They were fun for a couple of weeks, until I realized that I wasn't learning anything new. And being stuck in a classroom for that long, bored out of my mind? Heck no. I started skipping, finding more interesting things to do."

"Huh. So there was a better reason for your constant skipping than I originally thought." I laughed a bit, "You're not such a vagrant after all."

He looked over at me, mock hurt on his face, "You're so mean to me, bella."

In an uncharacteristic move, I poked his forehead, "But you'll live, now won't you?"

He smirked, "I'm not so sure, you might need to kiss it better." He puckered his lips and closed his eyes.

I smirked, slipping a knife from my belt and pressed the flat of the blade against his mouth. His eyes snapped open and he looked extremely confused. I wiped the blade on the grass and stuck it back in my belt, "Careful when kissing knives, kid. You might cut yourself." I couldn't look him in the eye and had to bite my lip to keep from outright laughing. Couldn't keep my shoulders from shaking, however.

Then I sat up, alarmed. "Crap! What time is it?" The sky had turned an orange color. "We've got to hurry or we'll miss curfew!" I scrambled up, "I guess I'll see you later. Bye!"

I sprinted as fast as I could towards the girls dorm, barely making it and getting a small scolding from the dorm mother. After a series of apologetic words, she let me go and told me to make sure I got something from the kitchens to eat, since I missed dinner. "You're a warrior in training, after all, so you've got to keep your strength up." she told me.

Luca's POV

I didn't even get to return the "Bye." before she was gone. Dang that girl was fast. She almost completely lost me, earlier. I had to use a spell to track her.

But if anything, I felt a lot lighter now.

I hadn't had time to tell her everything, but the amount that I did tell her was more than I've ever told anyone, ever. It was as if every word had been a weight that I had shed as it left my lips. It was a nice feeling. For the first time, I felt as if I could trust someone completely. I mean, I trusted Selene, but not enough to tell her everything.

I took a deep breath and pushed myself up. I was about to stand when something started to glow, catching my eye. There was a matching glow on my cloak and a burst of light. It faded and I clearly saw what had been on the ground. It was a school emblem.

More specifically, Marelda's.

I smacked my forehead and fell back into a laying position.

Crap.

* * *

Marelda owns several tanto, a type of knife. They can be used for all sorts of things, from prying things open to throwing.


	8. Chapter 7

Welp, until last chapter I manage to stick to the alternating 1 POV per chapter thing. I'll try to keep that with this story, but it might not always work. Besides, I feel that I ended last chapter with the right amount of suspense. ;)

TheFallenHer0: I think Luca's past, in those terms, was, in fact, kind of glossed over and only very briefly mentioned. But I latched onto the idea and expanded it in a way that made sense to me. Schuyler had to keep the prince safe, but couldn't be in contact. He did his best to make sure his prince was as comfortable as he could be in the circumstances. It was better that way (and I'll paraphrase something from The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood—better doesn't always mean better for everyone). Originally, I was going to have Luca with a character a little more like Selene and Katalina combined, but that was before I figured out I could actually write various kinds of characters I hadn't previously worked with. I'm so glad I created Marelda, because you're right, I think she fits with Luca much better than my original pairing for him. Luca is carefree and a bit of a dreamer. He fits well with someone who is serious and grounded. I'm glad you think so, too. And yup. She'll try her best to get him to go to class, eventually.

Updated: I originally posted the Elemental chapter for this week, something which TheFallenHer0 was awesome enough to point out—within a day of it being posted, I might add. Thanks!

* * *

Chapter 7

Marelda's POV

I woke up the next morning, early, as per usual. My roommate, who I never really talked to at all, wouldn't be up for a while yet. Heck, I was always long gone by the time she woke up. Her name was Meagan, I believe. She was younger, about fifteen, and in a different class. The same one Luca was in, I believe. She seemed nice enough, but between my being gone in the morning for training, and studying all afternoon—usually—I wasn't in a position for socializing all that much. Not to mention that my weekends were almost always spent training or studying. I didn't think I was missing out on much, because, honestly, I came here to study and train, not to socialize and goof off. I wasn't Luca. Rather, I was the exact opposite.

Although, I suppose that, in light of my new knowledge concerning him, that statement wasn't entirely fair. Oh, well, moving on. It was merely inside my head and no one would judge me for my thoughts. No mind readers at the academy, as far as I was aware.

I got up around four, and was out the door by four thirty to go grab my food for the day. Normally, students weren't allowed to leave their dorms until six, but I had special permission because of training. I also learned early on to use a cleansing spell that was pretty much like a shower. It took about two minutes to be completed, and I'd use it after my training was done for the day. While I'd rather take a shower, I never had such time between my first and second classes, which were only about ten minutes apart. If I counted the time for when I actually started morning training, my first "class" was closer to four hours instead of one and a half.

I fought a yawn as I made my way down to the dorm kitchens. The dormmother was kind enough to make me a special breakfast and a packed lunch every day. I had to closely watch how much I ate. While I did use up a lot of calories, I had to make sure I didn't eat too much. My fighting styles depend on speed and agility, and those are that much harder with extra weight. I didn't have a trace of unwanted fat on my body, and most of my weight came from muscle buildup. And I planned to keep it that way, despite how much my mother liked to tell me that I'd be a downright beauty if I put on a little weight.

The dormmother was alone, like she had been for a couple days now. Since Monday, actually. There was usually another girl in the kitchens this early, baking or cooking. I had never talked to the shorter, blonde girl—who honestly didn't seem much younger than I was—but she always smiled at me when our eyes met or something. Again, another person who seemed nice enough that I had never interacted with. She hadn't been here all week. And, out of sheer curiosity, I asked the dormmother where she was.

"Oh, her? She had to go home suddenly last weekend. She seemed pretty distraught, poor girl." The dormmother shook her head.

That made me a bit suspicious of something, so I asked another question. "I feel kind of bad, but I never learned her name."

The dormmother seemed surprised at how chatty I was this morning. I was normally in and out with nothing but a "thank you" and a small smile. "Selene, Selene Fonix. Sweet girl, she is. Can't sleep very well, and always up before the crack of dawn. She comes and makes sweets for her friends most mornings. Said it was better than staring at the ceiling until it was time to get up."

"Hmm. Well, thank you again for making me the meals." I bowed my head respectfully.

"Oh, you're very welcome, dear. It's no problem. I had a friend back when I was around your age who was also training to be a warrior. He took his food consumption very seriously. In fact, I believe he's your teacher. Ludwig Vargas, right?"

I paused at this new knowledged. It's funny how it sometimes never dawns on you that adults were once kids, too. "I can't even imagine him as a younger man, much less a teen."

"Funny how time flies, isn't it?" the dormmother said wistfully, "Be careful not to let to much of it slip by without living it, okay, dear? Now, on with you, before your breakfast goes cold."

I smiled and thanked her again before grabbing the tray that contained my breakfast. My lunch was already in my pocket dimension. Copperus was in it's own pocket, but I had another pocket attached to a little drawstring bag about two inches deep and with a mouth about six inches at it's widest. It rolled up and fit in a little slot in my belt quite nicely. I stored extra weapons, as well as other small things, like my lunches, in that particular pocket dimension.

Sitting down, I began eating. As always, it made me slightly nostalgic for my mother. No matter how tired she had been, she always had breakfast waiting for me. Even back when I went hunting with...

I inhaled a shaky breath, mentally pulling in calmness. I exhaled, mentally expelling everything but a controlled, composed calm.

"From what my sister told me, it's not good." Marelda heard a girl, a bit older than her and in the next year, say. Isabella...Ravenswood? Something like that.

"Wait, isn't your older sister one of Selene's sister-in-laws? Have you heard something of Selene? Is she okay?" I believe that was Amelia Nile, a girl in my class. She was never up this early.

"Yup. Sarah told me not to tell anyone, but I think you deserve to know, seeing as you're a really good friend of hers and used to be her roommate. But don't tell anyone. If it spreads around the academy, it could be really, really bad. Even cause mass panic." Ravenswood replied. I don't think she knew I was there. I was out of the way, in a corner, not really making any noise. Well, I guess I'll just pull a Luca and listen in. "To start from the beginning, Selene went home so suddenly because her oldest brother, Johnny, died in a vehicle accident. Now, they're not so sure it was an accident."

Just like when Luca told me, my heart palpitated slightly before returning to normal. I could understand what that felt like. I'd never really met the girl, but I can sympathize with her.

"Huh? Why?" Nile sounded even more worried now.

"Because a few days later, Sunday evening to be exact, Selene was taken."

"T-taken? You mean she was kidnapped? How? By who?" Nile gasped.

I paused in my eating. This is something Luca would want to know. Normally, I wouldn't spread information, particularly information meant to be kept secret, but in light of recent events...I think it's something Luca should know.

"Yes. They don't know who." Ravenswood continued, "The only ones who know everything, according to Sarah, are Merlin, Inan, Eric, and Eric's girlfriend. Them, and Prefect Klaus."

"So he did go after Selene, then?" Nile sounded as if she expected this.

"Yeah. He was there when she was taken, apparently, and went after her."

"Alone?" The level of panic in Nile's voice rose a tad.

"Yes. Alone. Inan's a seer, and apparently said that the Emperor had to do it himself."

"You're kidding."

"I wish I was." Ravenswood sighed, "I really hope Selene's okay."

"I feel so bad for her. First she loses her brother, and then this. She doesn't deserve it."

"The people who have these things happen rarely do."

Their voices fade as they leave the room, done with their breakfasts. I've been done for a couple of minutes. I get up and quietly put my empty plate and dirty silverware in the return window. Off to training. I'll tell Luca when he pops up, which is highly likely given his track record.

…. …. ….

He didn't show up. At all. Not in the morning, not through practice. I couldn't find him during lunch break either. I asked Goldstein and the other boy, the one that seemed oddly familiar, if they knew where he was after classes had gotten out, but I again didn't find and hints as to where he might be. Apparently the last time anyone had seen him was his practical magic class. It was incredibly frustrating.

And to make matter worse, I found that my school emblem was missing as well. While looking for Luca, I'd searched for it as well, but to no avail on either account. A student's emblem was important, and we were instructed upon first arrival to take very good care of it, and that we would not get a second one. It was said they each had magical properties, ones that grew as our magical abilities grew. We got to keep them when we graduated. And while I didn't put much trust in rumors, it was hard to ignore all the stories of the things that had happened to students who'd lost their emblem. Long story short, they involved long periods of very bad luck.

Great. I, a girl who kept meticulous track of things, lost two items of importance in less than a day. I hadn't seen Luca since I'd left him last night to make curfew, and the last time I remember seeing my emblem was shortly...before that.

Could it have fallen off while we were laying down? And could I even manage to find the place where we were? I had about an hour until the doors of the dorm were locked. If I hurried, it's possible I could find it. Might as well give it a shot.

* * *

Marelda has a comb, given to her by her mother, that has a removeable piece. When the combing part itself is removed, you're left with a knife coming out from the handle.


	9. Chapter 8

TheFallenHer0: Again, thank you so, so much for pointing out my mistake with the last posting.

* * *

Chapter 8

Luca's POV

I'll admit it. I was avoiding Marelda. She was looking for me, and I knew it. She had almost found me twice. Once during the lunch break in the archives. I heard the opening of the door and quickly cast a silent spell that allowed me to blend in with my surroundings as long as I stayed very, very still. My heart had almost stopped when she looked right at me, furrowed her brow, then sighed as she turned around to head out. Thank goodness she couldn't sense magic very well yet.

The next time she almost caught me was a little under an hour before curfew. I was sketching at the place where we had been talking the previous evening when I felt her approach. I'd become so familiar with her magical aura I could sense her from a good distance. I hurriedly shoved my stuff in my bag and began climbing the tree I had been leaning against. Something fell out of a pocket in my bag and fell to the ground, rolling a bit. I cursed under my breath and pulled myself one branch higher. I was at the point where I had a good vantage point, but wouldn't be easily seen. People rarely looked up unless they were looking for something specifically found in that direction.

Marelda walked into the little clearing. "Dang it, he's not here either." then she began searching a little more closely on the ground, and then seemed to spot something. She went and picked it up, "Aha, so you were here. At least I've found one of two things." The thing that had fallen out of my bag was her emblem. Crap. Or maybe this was a good thing? She had it back and I didn't have to confront her. "I give up. Clearly he doesn't want to be found. Sure as heck can't figure out why." I had noticed that she'll talk to herself, when she thinks she's alone. I don't think she realized she did, and I sure as heck wasn't going to be the one to tell her. It was cute, in a way. "And after last night especially. I wonder what I did to scare him off. Either that, or that cat-like boy got bored. Hard to believe that, though…" She smacked both of her hands to her cheeks, "Stop that, Marelda. Pity party over. You need to start refocusing. What would Sir Vargas say if he knew you slacking off just because of some guy? I mean, it's not like we're friends or anything. I don't have time for friends. There's work to be done." She walked off in the direction of the girls dorm.

Now I feel bad for avoiding her. Judging from what she said, she had, at some point, considered us friendly, and perhaps she still does. I know her well enough that she's reluctant to get at all attached to people. Honestly, I'm just as bad. The only person I'd consider is as a real friend would be Selene, and I'm not entirely sure she counts. I mean, she worms her way into being anybody's friend, if she decides that she wants to be friends with that person, I mean. And plus, we might actually be cousins, so that changes things a bit.

As I felt her get far enough away, I climbed down from the tree and started walking towards my own dorm. I wasn't really in the mood to get scolded by Prince Elias or the dormmother tonight for missing curfew. And tomorrow's Saturday. It shouldn't be hard to avoid her then, too. Perhaps I'll head into town or something.

…. …. ….

The next morning I awoke to something repeatedly tapping on my dorm window. I opened it and a magic note fluttered in and landed in my hand. It unfolded itself and I read the words that were written in the headmaster's neat script.

 _Mr. Luca Orlem,_

 _It has come to my attention that you gained a buddy and did not report it. I would appreciate it if you came to my office this morning. Your new buddy will be summoned as well._

 _Best,_

 _Headmaster Randolph_

 _(Please do not think you can skip, Luca. I will teleport you here if you try.)_

I sighed. Looks like I'm not going to be able to get out of this.

…. …. ….

I knocked on the headmaster's door about forty minutes later. I was a little later than I was going to be—I ran into Katalina outside the boys' dorm and couldn't resist teasing her for a bit. Translation: I was stalling. But, I eventually made it to the intended destination.

"Come in."

I opened the door to see the headmaster at his desk, and a slightly ruffled Marelda sitting in one of the chairs in front of it.

"Good morning, Mr. Orlem. Please, take a seat."

I silently did as he said so. Marelda tried to catch my eye, but I blatantly ignored her.

"Sir," Marelda began, "might I ask what I've done to warrant such a summons?"

The headmaster smiled, "Don't worry, Ms. Kramer. Neither of you are in trouble. Well, Mr. Orlem will be receiving a bit of a scolding, but for nothing too serious. It is merely for not reporting a change in events."

"A change in events, sir? What do you mean?"

"Mr. Orlem, would you care to tell her."

I shook my head slightly and shifted uncomfortably.

The headmaster sighed, "Well then, I guess it will be I, Ms. Kramer, who will inform you that you have been buddied with someone."

"E-excuse me, sir?" Marelda sounded confused. I don't blame her. "I thought two emblems had to react to one another. As far as I'm aware, mine hasn't done that."

I might as well speak now. "It did. After you left the clearing the other evening, I saw it on the ground. It lit up...and so did mine."

She slowly turned to look at me, eyes wide. It was a moment before she spoke. Her voice was calm and collected, but a bit sharp. "And you didn't think to tell me this, why?"

I shrugged, unable to say anything. Why did I not tell her? Easy. Because she didn't deserve to get stuck with me, that's why.

"That's not an answer, Luca." She was looking so exactly into my eyes I had to look away. I looked at the headmaster, trying to pull of my normal devil-may-care act.

"I think we should dissolve this buddy contract. I mean, I can't have someone tying me down, ya know?" I heard a surprised sort of choking noise from Marelda, who clearly wasn't expecting this sudden shift in my attitude, and had to fight to keep myself from visibly cringing.

"I'm sorry to inform you that dissolving a buddy contract isn't possible." the headmaster replied.

I laughed, "Wow. You're the last person I expected to lie about something, headmaster. You and I both know it's possible, and that you're more than capable of doing so."

His eyes widened ever-so-slightly. He clearly didn't expect me to know about that little loophole. Well, he can get over it. I'm the master at finding all the loopholes. But he in turn surprised my by smiling pleasantly and saying, "Then I'm sorry to inform you that I refuse to do so."

I sighed, shrugging, "Well, it was worth a try." I got up, slung my bag over one shoulder, and left, hurrying even as I tried to appear as if I wasn't. I headed down an open-air hallway that would lead me towards the lake.

Less than a minute later I heard loud, angry-sounding footsteps approaching me. I paused and turned around only for something to slam into my cheek, knocking me to the ground as light fluttered in my vision for a moment before going black.

"Damn you, Luca!" was the last thing I heard before I could hear no more.

Marelda's POV

I shook out my now-sore hand. Punching someone hurt both parties, and I probably should have done it. But to say I was furious was an understatement. No matter what act he was trying to pull, I saw right through it. He was lying and saying he "didn't want to be tied down" and that sort of crap. Translation: he didn't want to be in a position where he would have to get to close to another person. Moron. Like I'd accept that. He's not getting out of this so easily.

I grabbed his arms and yanked him up, to where I was pretty much carry/dragging him, and started pulling him along. I saw a frightened underclassmen off to the side. Great. That moment of uncontrolled anger is going to get me in a lot of trouble with Sir Vargas if he finds out.

"Hey kid!" I called over to him

"Y-yes?" he yelped.

I smiled kindly at him, "Don't worry. I only punch idiots like this one. You've done nothing wrong. I'd appreciate it if you grabbed his bag. I'm going to take him to the nurse."

The poor boy nodded rapidly and darted forward to grab the bag, stuffing a few things that had fallen out back into it.

"Also, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about that. I'd rather not have my master yell at me for such a display. It wouldn't matter how much this sod deserved it."

He nodded again, a little too quickly, "Y-yes ma'am!"

"Thanks." A few minutes later I dragged Luca into the nurse's office and dumped him unceremoniously onto one of the beds. The underclassman dropped Luca's bag on a chair and ran off.

"Ah, Marelda. Good to see you. What happened this time?" Nurse Asta said with a raised brow. I was a regular patient of hers. This is the first time I've dragged someone else in, though.

"I'm ashamed to say I got a little mad and punched him. And hit him a little harder than I meant to." I said calmly.

She turned him over on the bed, "Oh my, did you do this?" The nurse started inspecting his face, "You got him good, that's for sure. What'd he do?"

"Nurse Asta, meet my new buddy, Luca Orlem. An idiot who had the gall to suggest dissolving the contract for ridiculous reasons that he didn't really mean. And the real reasons were just as stupid." Was my simple reply.

She whistled, "Well, I'll have to wait until he wakes up before I can do anything. It's risky to heal…"

"When a patient's not conscious." I finished. I'd heard it several times over the years. A person's subconscious, dreaming mind can affect a healing and make the magic do something it shouldn't. A healer will only do it if the situation is critical or the person was put under using magic. "Yeah, I know."

She smiled, "Good girl. You might have the qualifications to be both a warrior and a healer by the time you graduate. Wouldn't that be something."

"I'd rather save it for emergencies than do it on the regular." I said, "How badly did I hurt him? I'd feel kind of bad if I hit him to the point where I damaged his brain. I really just meant to knock some sense into him…"

The nurse laughed, "From what I saw, he'll be perfectly fine. I'd rather let it heal on it's own, in fact, but I'll do you a favor and fix it when he wakes up. Wouldn't want Sir Vargas to find out, do we?"

"No…" I bowed my head and slumped my shoulders. I quite liked Nurse Asta. She was fairly young, and had actually started at the academy the same year I had. In fact, she had earned her legal healer's license shortly before she was hired. She was an alumni of the academy, but, like many healers-in-training, had spent the last three years of where normal students would spend at the academy in an apprenticeship.

Her master in particular was a extremely-well known healer who was amazing at her job. Part of what had made the woman so famous was the fact that she was so good that she could get a job anywhere she liked, but instead chose to wander around healing the poor and working in battleside healer's tents around the continent. She only charged what people could afford, if that. Oftentimes she didn't, saying the paychecks individual governments gave her for helping their soldiers was enough.

Admirable, for sure, but I'd rather be a soldier who was able to protect people.

"Just make sure that next time you remember that what wouldn't even phase a trained soldier tends to injure the average person." Nurse Asta reminded me.

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

Marelda has one set of brass knuckles, designed for use of her left (dominant) hand. However, they're not really brass. They're made of an aluminum alloy, just as strong as normal ones but a lot lighter, as Marelda's fighting styles rely more on speed and agility that brute strength.


	10. Chapter 9

TheFallenHer0: She does get lonely. She's actually been pretty lonely since Parker died, but she tries to harden her heart to prevent from getting hurt, because in her mind, a warrior can't show weakness. But Luca's actions about the buddy thing made her realize something. She realized that Luca did have a heart hardened against getting close to people, and saw how miserable he really was about it. She then became determined to not let it get so severe for her, and help Luca soften his heart a bit. As for the healing thing, I literally came up with it as I was writing. It made sense to me that when a person with magic isn't conscious that their magic is still active, like their subconscious is. It's how people can have dream divination, and children who can't control their magic yet cause things to happen, entirely unintentionally, when they're sleeping. I'm glad you liked it!

* * *

Chapter 9

Luca's POV

The first thing I felt was cold. On my face. I grunted and moved my hand up to push it away, but something caught it.

"Don't." said a familiar voice, "It's helping with the swelling."

My eyes fluttered open to see Marelda. I'm so confused. What happened...? A second later it clicked.

After I left the headmaster's office, I heard angry footsteps and turned around. Then it was lights out. I think I got punched.

"The nurse stepped out a moment ago. She said she'd be back soon." I glean much of anything from her tone of voice, other than it was carefully chosen.

"You hit me." I said, sounding as if I really was stupid.

"I did. And I am sorry about knocking you out. That was not my intention."

"What was your intention?" I asked.

"To knock some sense into you."

"Pfft." I started laughing, and it hurt. My cheek, I mean. But I was laughing too hard to stop.

"W-what's so funny, huh?!" Marelda sputtered in confusion.

"Life!" Another Selene-ism, right there. It was a minute before I could calm down. "I probably should have remembered that cats are curious, and have claws. You, bella, are a majestic hunter cat of the wilds!"

She leaned away from me with a look that said she was questioning my sanity. "I think I may have hit you harder than I thought…I'll go find the nurse. You probably need immediate medical attention." She got up and turned to leave, but some sort of impulse made my hand dart out to grab her wrist before she could dash away.

"Don't go."

She froze.

"I am sorry about back there. I'd tell you why I did it, but I'm not even entirely sure myself." I sighed, loosening my grip on her wrist. What turned the confusion back on me was that she didn't pull it away.

"I think I do." she whispered.

"Really, now? Pray tell."

She rotated slowly on the heels of her feet to face me, looking me right in the eyes with a sudden intensity, "You were scared."

I raised an eyebrow, "Of what?"

"Being in a position where you're made to trust someone, get closer than just acquaintances. As personable and social as you act, you're scared to let anyone past that shell of steel you've built up around yourself. You being completely alone for so long caused you to be unable to let others know you. Not the you everyone sees, but the real you no one knows."

Now it was I who was frozen, heart slowly, loudly thumping in my chest. _Ba...thump. Ba...thump. Ba...thump._ It made too much sense.

She continued, "Honestly, while it's not as severe and for different reasons, you've caused me to realize that I do the same thing. I keep people at arm's length. I'm hesitant to let people get close to me, because I don't want to end up hurt. Losing Parker and Pa, especially Parker, hurt me somewhere I couldn't see, somewhere I didn't want to see. I distanced myself from the people I should love and care about because I'm scared I'll lose them, too, and it'll hurt. You're scared to let others in because you've never had someone to trust. I'm scared to let others in because of the possibility I'll end up hurting." She inhaled, slowly, slowly. Then exhaled, slowly, slowly. "And I think it's time to start changing that. Someone gave me some advice this morning to not miss any time, to not let it go by without living. I've not really been living since Parker died. When he was suddenly _gone_ , I stopped letting myself live. I was so focused on the end goal that I neglected to pay attention to the present. So I'm going to go out on a limb and extend the white flag. I'm going to trust you, Luca. And I hope some day you'll find it in you to trust me."

She fell silent, and gently removed her wrist from my hand as I stared wide-eyed at her. "I really am going to go and find the nurse and tell her you're awake. She'll fix your face. Again, I'm really sorry about that." She turned and left.

I didn't even know what to say. I, for the first time, was completely speechless. I had absolutely nothing to say. No witty comeback, no tease. I was entirely taken back.

I felt my lips tug into a smile. Marelda Kramer. That girl was something else.

…. …. ….

Marelda's POV

While I did have to leave to find the nurse, it was really just an excuse. The real reason was because as soon as I turned around my face turned as dark a red as my hair. What's wrong with me? I manage to say all that (completely unplanned and unrehearsed), and then as soon as it sinks in I'm suddenly a mushy pile of flustered.

Unknown Voice (*whisper*): You like him…!

"Gah!" I screw my eyes shut and yank on the ends of my hair. Get out of my head! I do not!

UV (*continued whisper*): Yes you doooooo…

What are you, a ghost or just the voice of insanity?!

UV: Nope. I'm the force that controls everything in your existence and I got stuck on what to write so I decided to speak. I talk to the other characters all the time, particularly Luca and Elias. Eli always yells at me to butt out and stop being annoying, but Luca just welcomes me and moves on. He's a good guy, Mara. ;) Besides, you two are going to end up married one day with at least two daughters—maybe more, but at least two. I haven't decided yet.

It's official. I've lost my mind. No sane voice in my head would even come close to suggesting such a heinous thing.

"Marelda?" The voice of Nurse Asta brings me out of my head, "You're a little red, are you okay?"

"Not at all. There's this voice in my head—not my thoughts or my conscience, an outside voice—that claims to be the 'force that controls everything'. I think I may have gone mad." I was genuinely worried, but Nurse Asta just laughs.

"Oh, don't worry, dear. That's just Authoress, and while she is entirely mad, she tends to know what she's talking about." Nurse Asta smiled, "Now, seeing as you're out there, red-faced and flustered, I'm going to assume Mr. Orlem woke up?"

I nodded stiffly, quickly composing myself. I refuse to go in looking anything but collected.

"Wonderful. Let's go take a look at his impressive bruise." Nurse Asta teased. I rolled my eyes and she flicked my forehead. I followed her back to the nurse's office.

And we found Luca trying to leave.

"And where might you be going, young man?" Nurse Asta said coolly.

"Uh, back to the dorms?" Luca said.

"Nice try. Sit yourself down and let me heal that mark on your face." She turned him around and plopped him in a chair, pulling out her wand.

"There's really no need. It'll heal." Luca flicked some of the hair out of his face. Now that I think about it, he could use a bit of a haircut. His green locks were longer than mine. "Besides, it makes me look manly, ya know? Like I can be in a fight with a warrior mage and live."

I couldn't resist snorting at that, "Yeah, a female warrior-in- _training_ who knocked you out with one blow that wasn't even at full power. Very manly. Now shut up and let her fix you before Sir Vargas learns of it and yells at me for several hours upon his return."

Luca laughed, grabbing my hand, "Well, I guess I'll let her do it. Can't be getting my bella into trouble, now can I?" He winked and kissed the back of my hand.

I yanked it away, walked over to the sink, and washed it with way more soap than necessary.

"Ouch, bella, I'm wounded that you would treat me like some terrible disease. Now it is my heart that is more bruised, not my face!" He pressed a hand to his chest and pouted, making me roll my eyes. "Alas! I'm rejected! Whatever am I to do?"

Nurse Asta was getting a kick out of this, I could tell. She was barely restraining her laughter as she pulled out her wand. She held the tip to Luca's face, " _Santio aura_." A few seconds later, the bruise on his cheek faded, going from a purplish color to a yellowish to Luca's normal skin tone. Nurse Asta put her wand away. "And you're free to go."

"Thanks." He replied, standing up, then he looked at me, smiled cheekily, and said, "And since you're the reason I'm here, I think you should entertain me for today. It get's so boring when Prince Elias isn't around." He slung his bag over one shoulder then grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the nurse's office.

"Hey! Let me go! Jerk! Tosser! Let me go!"

I could hear Nurse Asta break into laughter before we left earshot.

Dang Luca. Dang you!

…. …. ….

I found myself dragged to the clearing where we'd been talking the other day. I yanked my hand away and rubbed my wrist. That jerk is stronger than he looks.

"Seriously, I just can't seem to understand you!" I huff, "First you're all joking and teasing, then serious and thoughtful, then completely evading and ignoring me, and then you try and dissolve the buddy contract, and then you're back to being an annoying moron! Choose one persona, will you?"

He looks at me with his typical smile-smirk thing, "I thought about what you said, and honestly, I realized you were right. And I'll accept the white flag and extend another white object in return." He pulled out his wand, flicked it, and a white camellia* blossom came out of the tip. He grabbed it and reached over and, before I could react, stuck it in my hair.

"What in heck are you trying to pull?" I backed up from him, taking on a fighting stance.

He chuckled, "You really don't know? Well, in the words of Selene that she was quoting from something or other, 'If you don't know then never mind.'" He sat down and started digging through his bag, "On an unrelated note, our conversation the other evening got cut off."

* * *

*In the language of the flowers, one of the meanings of the white camellia is "you're adorable" and yes, Luca knows that very well. ;)

* * *

A gift Marelda received from her stepfather the previous Midwinter (as most of Marelda's gifts tend to be weapons or other gear, and it's towards those where most of her pocket money ends up) is a necklace. It looks like an Angel with a sword behind it. The whole thing is probably two inches wide and four inches tall. The sword is actually a little dagger made to looked like part of the design, when really, it can be pulled out. And like most of Marelda's small, and/or concealable weaponry, it can coated in poison or other substances.


	11. Chapter 10

TheFallenHer0: I agree. I think they balance each other out really well. And I loved being able to include the Language of the Flowers thing. It seems like something Luca would have researched on his own, just for fun.

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Chapter 10

Luca's POV

I was mentally patting myself on the back while I pulled out my sketchbook and notes. She had no clue what the flower meant. She's adorable. ;)

Authoress: So you finally decided to accept the fact that you're crushing on her? I mean, if the flirting that passed right over her head last chapter was any indication…

Yup. Pretty much. I've decided to let someone in. She's stubborn enough to do it with or without my input, so I decided it may as well be on my terms.

Authoress: I am _so_ proud of you, Luca!

Thanks. Now, back to the story, shall we?

"Now, why do you think you're the illegitimate child of the Princess Aulelia?" Marelda sat cross-legged across from me. I noticed that she was in trousers. Heck, I think the only time she wore anything but was during classes, and not even during training (she changed after training before going to her next class). Focus, Luca. It doesn't matter that she'd covering those beautiful legs of hers, there's things of slight more importance to be thought about.

"My birthday is the same as the Princess Aulelia's death date, for starters." I avoided her eyes as I flipped through the sketchbook. I felt a flick (none to soft) against my forehead, making me look up, startled.

Marelda sat there glaring at me, "If you are her son, don't be blaming yourself for her death, idiot. If she wanted to live and let you die, she would have. Don't use someone's sacrifice for granted. That'd make me furious and then I'd have to give you more than just a bruised cheek."

I cracked a lopsided smile, "Thanks. I'll be counting on it." Unlike a lot of people, she had every right to say that. She's sure using the life her brother gave her with his death for something worth it. "Now, there are other reasons, coincidences."

"That you don't think are coincidences." She said.

I shook my head, "I don't believe coincidences are real, that everything happens for a reason."

"You're fiddling with your earring. Does it have something to do with your theories?"

I froze. I hadn't even realized I was doing it. I put my hand down. "Yeah, it does. Remember how I told you Schuyler—"

"Professor Schuyler, Luca. _Professor_."

"Yeah, yeah, remember how I told you about his past with the royal family?"

She nodded.

I continued, "I saw a match to this earring in his office a few weeks ago."

Her eyes widened, "Are you serious?"

"As a war." I replied, "I haven't seen it since, though I've purposely caused myself to make trouble in his class. I think he caught onto me."

"So now what?"

"I think I'm going to sneak into the school at night and break into his office. And find it."

She gave me an incredulous look. "You really are an idiot. Don't you know that the entire school goes on lockdown after hours, with patrols? And that Professor Schuyler is likely to put wards on his office, particularly if he suspects anything?"

"I know. I also know the patrol routes of the teachers and which nights they take them. And how the tracker chariots work. They'll lock onto one thing and chase it until they find it. Throw a stone in the opposite direction and you're set. I'm still debating on whether or not to do it, though." As bad as I felt about lying to her, it was necessary. I made up my mind a while ago to do this.

"Don't." she said, "You're just going to get in trouble, even to the point where you might be expelled."

"Ha! There's another thing. No matter what I do I won't get expelled unless I kill someone or something."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been held back three times, suspended five times, put in the detention chamber seven times, and given a stern warning almost two hundred times. Yes, I've kept count. Some of the things I've done would've gotten anyone else expelled. Like, for instance, last year, the last time I got suspended. Want to know what for? Going into the East Forest."

I remember it all too well, no matter how much I'd rather forget it. It's practically a living thing, one that swallows you whole and causes you to suffer by picking on your flaws and weaknesses and fears. Going in alone, no matter what my goal had been, admittedly, _extremely_ stupid.

She choked in surprise, "You seriously tried to go in there?"

"Not try. I did. And almost got very injured and nearly lost a grip on my sanity." I laughed, "Yeah, don't go in there if you can't hear the song or aren't with someone who can."

"I don't think you really kept your sanity, from the looks of it." she muttered.

"Ouch, bella, that stung!" I joked. It was easier to do that now, joke and tease her. It was fun, interesting. Just as fun as making fun of Prince Elias.

She rolled her eyes, "Just promise that you won't try and do it. Please, if not for the fact that you'll get caught, then for the face that you'll put a blotch on my spotless record. Some stains will never really go away, no matter how much you scrub them."

"I promise, bella. I won't do anything stupid." I felt bad that I had my fingers crossed where she couldn't see them, but what I planned to do wasn't sheer stupidity. It was well-thought-out planning.

…. …. ….

Marelda's POV

I'm pretty sure he didn't mean his promise, not entirely. I saw that look in his eyes. He wasn't going to be so easily deterred.

We spent a good chunk of the afternoon discussing more possibilities. One, for instance, we'd need Selene herself for.

It was said that the Princess Aulelia kept in touch with her elder sister, but refused to tell anyone anything about it. There was a possibility that, indeed, if Selene's mother was Princess Aurora, she'd've kept a journal or letters from Princess Aulelia. Selene may know of some, or may know where to find them, or has a brother that could. Princess Aurora lived several years after her sister's death, so there might even be evidence of Princess Aulelia telling her sister of a love affair that left her with an illegitimate child.

Only problem was, we'd have to wait for Selene to return. And there was a problem with that.

Luca paled considerably when I told him what I'd overheard the other day from those two girls, Nile and Ravenswood.

"Do you think it may have to do with someone else possibly figuring out she's the child of Princess Aurora?" I asked him.

He shook his head, "I don't think so. I think it's a different reason. I mean, why kill a child of the princess just to take another? It doesn't make sense, particularly as Selene was the hardest to get to. This school is one of the most highly protected places in this world. Why not take an easier target, like one of her brothers, or even one of her nephews. I think it may have to do with something else."

"As in? Any theories?"

"Her father. The book doesn't say whether he's alive or dead because he's not listed. And another thing, I'm not so sure he was human. Selene may think he is, but I'm not so sure, mostly because of her magic. Magic is a pretty big indicator of heritage, especially if it's a unique and/or powerful form of it—of which Selene's is both."

"What's so unique about it?" I asked, "I've heard she's got some pretty strong talents in fire magic, but that's about it."

"That's exactly it. She can use fire far beyond any human on record. The current Fire Wizards are nowhere near that powerful. She can manipulate it to a crazy extent. But then there's the drawback. She can't use water or ice magics. At all. She attempted it a couple times in class and nearly passed out, or something else happened. Her first week here she tried to make it rain water in the class, and ended up getting everyone covered in glittery golden light droplets. She at some point figured out how to use something like ice, only she just removes the heat, controlling that instead of making it colder. She can't use earth-based magics, either, and her wind magicks are kind of wild and out of control. They're a lot better than they used to be, but still not well controlled like yours or mine. I think she might be fae-blood."

I blinked, taken aback. "You're serious? You think that her father may have been a faery? I thought that faeries couldn't live long in Terra because there's no natural magic to draw from."

"But a powerful faery with stored up reserves could live there for a while. As in, a year or more. From what Selene once told Elias, her father was gone before she was born. Less than a year. She thinks he died. I'm not so sure. Her father being a faery would explain the way her magic is. And maybe have something to do with why she was kidnapped. But there's nothing we can do." He sighed, looking up at the canopy of leaves above us. "Well, at least it's the Emperor that went after her. If anyone could do it, he could. Helps that he's madly in love with her. Men tend to go to extreme lengths for the woman they love."

"And how do you know that? Not that your sources are usually wrong, but still."

"Prince Elias told Yukiya in class one day, before Selene was there. Apparently the Emperor fell for her a while ago, and Prince Elias has been trying to push him to ask her out." Luca replied, still looking up.

Yukiya. That sounded familiar. Really, really familiar. "Wait, who? Is Yukiya the one with the black hair that kind of looks blue in the light? With the eyepatch?"

Luca looked over at me, "Why? Are you interested in him?" I raised and eyebrow and gave him a deadpan look. He chuckled, "Yeah, that's him. Yukiya Reizen. People say he's cursed, but it's a bunch of bull. He doesn't know I know this, but he's made a contract with that wolf familiar of his to gain his magic. The seal, I believe, in under his eyepatch. The 'cursed' rumors probably stem off the fact that contracts like that usually have some sort of really big drawback. He get's really sick once a month. In fact, I think that time is next week. Full moon is when it seems to happen. I think I'm really the only one who notices, other than the teachers and his roommate, Prince Elias. And Selene. Her too. Little gets by that girl, besides the fact that her buddy is hopelessly in love with her. She's oblivious when it comes to herself."

Yukiya Reizen. I knew him. Not well, but enough. "He used to live in my village, a little over two years ago. What surprises me most is that everyone thinks he's dead."

Luca's eyes widened slightly with interest. "You don't say."

I nodded, tensing as I thought about it, "He disappeared after a raider attack. I was at school at the time, and a larger group attacked our village. It the biggest attack on our village since the...the one that killed Parker. From what I heard, his father was away at a neighboring town when they attacked. He's the oldest of five, though there was another baby boy born about a year ago. Then, he had one younger brother, Nico, and three younger sisters. From what I got Nico to tell me—Nico's a friend of my younger twin sisters, see—Yukiya had them hide upstairs, while he stayed down there to protect them with the kitchen knives. Nico said they don't know what happened, other than there was a lot of screaming, and the roar of some sort of beast. Apparently, the raiders made it to their house and tried to get in, and that's when the beast—no one saw what it looked like and lived—appeared. Every single raider was killed by that beast, whatever it was. When Nico went down at the end of it the next morning, refusing to let his sisters down until things were cleaned up, there were a few dead raiders in their kitchen, slashed to bits, blood everywhere. Nico himself was never quite the same, and Yukiya was nowhere to be found. Literally. They never found a body."

"Huh. I don't think I know exactly what to make of that." Luca's voice was quiet, somber, "If anything, I feel bad for him."

"I do as well. From what you told me, that may of been the result of the contract, the beast. And I think Yukiya got frightened and ran off, thinking he was dangerous. Whatever happened, he ended up at this school and our entire village thinks he's dead."

"What are you going to do about it? Confront him?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm not. It's his problem. I'm not going to interfere. He's probably got his reasons. Besides, I don't even think he recognizes me. I've been at the village very rarely since I started attending the school, and even before then, I spent a lot of time hunting and training as well as I could, and from what I've heard, he spent a lot of time at home, helping his mother take care of his little siblings. The only reason he looked familiar enough to recognize is because Nico looks almost exactly like him, just a few years younger and with a different attitude."

Yukiya probably had his reasons, like I said. It's his choice. The only thing that's hard for me to understand is that for a boy who supposedly loved his siblings to much, why is staying away from them, letting them think he's dead? I hope, for his and his siblings sakes, that his reasons are very, very good.

* * *

I'm starting to run out of weapon ideas...so I'll just say that Marelda had something called a push dagger, and I recommend you look up a picture to get a better understanding. It's a coppery color, like many of her weapons, as copper is kind of her theme color.

(Also, if you guys feel like submitting weapon ideas...feel freeeee….)


	12. Chapter 11

Okay, so if you've read the final chapter of Elemental, you'll know that it's going on a bit of a hiatus before I begin Halfling. As is this one, mostly because there isn't much more I can add to it without giving away things that aren't to be revealed until Halfling. Such as the side story I need to start—that's going to take some time. I hate having to put you guys on hold, but if I don't catch things up and get ahead to the point where I can comfortably post on the regular, I feel as if I have to rush, which means that the quality of my writing will most likely decline, and I'd hate doing that even more than leaving you guys on edge for a while. I'm really sorry but I feel it's necessary! Forgive me!

TheFallenHer0: I agree. She's pretty boss, and doesn't put up with any BS from Luca, which is something I think he needs. I think he knows he needs it, too. And what did you know? I wasn't sure what part of the chapter you were referring to. And I like the boots idea. I'll definitely use it. Thanks!

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Chapter 11

Marelda's POV

I didn't see Luca on Sunday. He mentioned before we split on Saturday that he was planning to go into town on Sunday. He didn't say why, but as long as he wasn't going to cause to trouble, I didn't really care.

I also found out that somehow the entire school seemed to know I was his buddy, which confused me. Elias Goldstein had even stopped me on my way to training after lunch to give me his "sympathies" for getting stuck with Luca as my buddy. It was odd. I go relatively unnoticed, but then Luca becomes my buddy, and suddenly the entire school knows who I am! It's annoying.

…. …. ….

I jolted awake at the sound of tapping on my dorm window. What in the…? I go over and peek through the floor-length curtain.

"Luca!" I whisper-hiss, slightly opening the sliding glass door, "Why the heck are you here?! It's the middle of the night!"

He stood on the balcony, clutching his arm. He smiled weakly, "Sorry to bug you. I needed a bit of help."

It was then, in the light of the moon, that he was wearing entirely dark blue, long sleeved shirt, pants, hat, leather gloves. He swayed slightly. Was he hurt?

"Get in here. Be quiet. My roommate is asleep." I herded him in and made him sit on my bed. I carefully slid the dividing curtain shut and turned my lamp onto it's lowest setting. I blinked rapidly to let my eyes adjust. Once my vision focused, I gasped. Luca's entire right arm was wet. The familiar tell-tale smell of coppery-blood, now out of the open, proceeded to taint the room.

"Marelda?" Crap! Maegan was awake. "What's going on? Is someone here?"

I poked my head out of the curtain, "Shh. Go back to sleep." But the girl was already crawling out of bed, rubbing her eyes.

"I heard a wince of pain when someone sat on your bed. And I smell blood," She protested. "Let me take a look." She edged her way past me and started, without even flinching, "Luca. You're bleeding. A lot." She turned on her own lamp and began rifling through the chest at the end of her bed. I sighed and opened the curtain up again.

I turned to Luca, "How did this happen? You did something stupid, didn't you?"

He tried to chuckle, but ended up wincing as he shifted his arm, "Pretty much."

Maegan came back up with her wand and various other things in her arms, "You might get blood on your sheet, Marelda, but I've got a spell for that, so don't worry. Luca, remove your shirt."

"A little forward, aren't we?" He joked.

Both Meagan and I glared at him with deadpan expressions.

"Fine then. Bleed out. See if I care." Maegan sniffed, turning around.

"W-wait!" Luca yelped. We shushed him—people were asleep in the rooms around us. "S-sorry. I...uh...might need some help."

I sighed and pulled the small knife out from under my pillow, ignoring the wide-eyed looks the two of them gave me. I moved his hand—doing my best to ignore the slippery blood that had completely covered it—and carefully cut his right sleeve off. He had a huge gash that bled sluggishly. I then gently pulled the rest of the shirt over his head, flinching ever-so-slightly when he winced. Yeah, there was a lot of blood on my sheets already, dripping down from his arm. He looked woozy. Blood loss will do that to you.

As soon as the shirt was off, Maegan jumped in, thrusting a couple rags at me, to get them wet. I pulled out my want and dampened them before handing them back. She took them and began wiping the area around the gash, ignoring the blood that had already dripped down his arm. She took out a bottle and dampened another rag with it. The sharp smell of whatever the liquid was burned my nose even from here, though Meagan seemed completely unaware of it.

"Marelda, get behind him and hold him still. This is going to sting like hell." She ordered, and I did as she said. I ignored any awkward feelings, wrapping my legs around his waist, pinning his left arm and holding his right arm in place. She had him bite on something and pressed the rag to the gash.

It was immensely difficult to hold him still as he thrashed, his scream of pain greatly muffled by the thing in his mouth. About twenty seconds later Maegan removed the rag, now bloody, and tossed it with his shirt on the floor. Luca went limp, panting and I noticed he was sweating slightly.

"What the heck was that?!" I asked her.

"A special cleaning liquid developed by my family. It not only kills any possible infections and clean the wound, it also cancels out most magic-related residue that could have caused it and prevent it from healing." She said quickly, picking up her wand. She pointed it to his arm, "Heal this wound! _Santio Aura!_ "

Luca sucks in a breath as the healing wind flowed out of Maegan's wand and circled his gash. I watched as it closed, leaving an angry red scar.

"That's the best I can do. If you don't want to end up with a big scar there, I recommend you see the nurse. Although, you'd probably have to tell her what caused it. I, however, do not care." She finished wiping as much of the blood from his arm as she could before gathering up all the bloody cloths, including my sheets. She had me close the curtain around my bed, Luca inside, and quickly change into a fresh nightcore, taking the soiled one from me. "I'll be back in a few minutes, then I'm going back to bed. Goodbye." She went out onto the balcony, closing the door behind her. I turned to Luca.

And smacked the back of his head.

"Ow! Why are you hitting a person who came in bleeding to death!" he whined.

"Shh! People are sleeping, stupid!" I whisper-hissed, "And I hit you because you're a bloody idiot! _Literally_!" I whacked him again for good measure, and he collapsed. I gasped and started shaking him, think I might have knocked him unconscious again. Until he started shaking with suppressed laughter.

"Nice to know that you care, deep, _deep_ down." He snickered. I smacked the back of his head. For the third time.

"You scared me, you moron! You forget that me knocking you out cold is an _actual_ possibility!" I scolded. This boy…gah!

He quieted a bit, "Sorry...that was a bit of a jerk move."

"No kidding!" I snapped.

The balcony door slid open, and Maegan walked in, yawning. She tossed the rags she's used on top of her chest, and dumped the rest on my bed, "Goodnight." she crawled back in bed, and from the sound of it, was instantly asleep.

I pulled Luca up, snatching his one-sleeved shirt, and pulled him out to the balcony. I pulled his shirt over his head, pinning his arms to his sides. He quickly slid his left arm through the long sleeve and his right through the hole.

"Now," I began, crossing my arms, "what did you do?"

"I broke into Schuyler's office." He said. He sounded serious, in an unusual manner for him. Serious, like when he was talking about the Vanished Princesses and his theories about them.

I sighed, "Since I clearly can't stop you, I should probably help you to keep you from getting hurt again. Did you find anything?"

He dug in his pocket and held something up, handing it to me. I lit the end of my wand, and found the small item to be an earring with a green gemstone. I held it next to the one in Luca's ear and studied them. "Exact match. They're the same."

"I thought so. This confirms a few tangent theories." He said, "One, that he was somehow involved with my unknown past, and two, he started teaching right after the age I was first aware of in the room. I'm eighteen, and my first memories were when I was about the age of five. Schuyler"—I didn't bother to correct him at this point—"didn't start teaching until just after then. I feel, though, as if the headmaster knows about all this."

"The headmaster? What's he have to do with anything, other than the fact that he hired Professor Schuyler and accepted you into the school."

"That's exactly it. I didn't even need a trial. And there are other reasons."

"Other reasons being...what, exactly?"

"He's one of the three Great Mages, didn't you know? Schuyler is, too."

That shocked me into silence, "Wait, the Great Mages are still a thing? I thought they were a thing of the past."

"Nope. Still a thing. I don't know who the third mage is. There are, however, rumors of a so-called 'ghost' that hangs around the headmaster's office at night. I can't confirm how accurate those are, or if she's the third mage or not."

"So what are you going to do? Ask the headmaster about everything?" I inquired.

Luca shook his head, "No. I can't trust any of the adults, or really anyone at this point." He paused, then looked up at me, "Actually, I'm pretty sure you're the only one I trust at this point. I can't usually tell when someone lies to me, but you've never lied to me. Never tried to hide anything. You're brutally honest, and painfully blunt. But it suits you perfectly, and I'd prefer if you didn't change that about yourself. In a world of liars, you've told me nothing but the truth. Thank you, Marelda, for giving me some sort of hope in humanity." He smiled at me, a real, genuine smile, not a smug smirk, not a teasing grin—an actual smile. And, in the faint light, he looked like...like the prince he might actually be. I could feel my face heating up and wasn't sure how to respond, what to do. I was frozen.

But as quick as the smile happened, it was gone. And so was he. I watched as he hopped over the balcony railing, magically lowering himself to the ground. He crept off, heading back to the boys' dorms.

 _I wish you the best of luck in your search for answers, Luca. And I hope you understand that I'm not going to let you do this on your own._

 _After all, we're Buddies. Our fates are are connected._


	13. Chapter 12

Hey! So Warrior is getting posted again! After this, I'll likely be posting a chapter of this with each Halfling posting, at least for a while! Hope you guys enjoy it!

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Chapter 12

Marelda's POV

The next few days we slipped into a routine similar to our old one. Sir Vargas returned, bearing news that it wasn't my village that was having problems with raiders—which caused me immense relief—and Luca would randomly pop up during my lessons. It turns out Sir Vargas knew that he'd been doing it since the beginning, and hadn't cared as long as Luca didn't become a problematic distraction. He even had Luca spar with me a few times, saying I'd need practice with my weaponry against a magic-user, and that Luca worked just fine for this sort of training (and I will admit that it was entertaining watching him dive out of the way when I flung a knife or something at him).

"If he keeps hanging around like a stray, we might as well get some use out of him," was all the warrior said of it.

The week seemed normal. I even, dare I say, enjoyed myself. Sadly, this feeling of normality didn't last.

The next Saturday morning I awoke to a note on my dorm door.

' _Due to certain circumstances, students are forbidden to leave the dorms today without special permission from a professor or a dorm matron. Please remain in the dorm house._ '

"You've got to be kidding me," I grumbled. "How in heck am I supposed to train?" I resolved to gather my normal things and head to the dorm matron to ask her if I could get permission to go out in train. Just then a magic note fluttered in, landing on my hand as it reached for the door. I unfolded it and saw the familiar handwriting of Sir Vargas.

' _You are excused from training this morning. Just do some stretches this morning and do your homework. You can make up the practice tomorrow morning. The grounds are unfit for training due to a mishap with a spell._ - _Vargas_ '

I sighed. Sunday's were normally my day to catch up on my homework and spell practice for my normal classes. I guess I'll work on it today. I'll go eat first, though. My stomach is on training time, regardless of whether I actually train or not.

I didn't realize until I got down to the kitchens what had happened. Rather, I actually looked out a window for the first time this morning.

"Bloody hell!" I gasped. There were little white creatures—magical ones, I think, but I don't know which kind—covering the ground, layered deep enough to where it'd even make walking through them hard. No wonder we were confined to the dorms. This was crazy!

The dormmother didn't seem surprised to see me down in the kitchens. "You've seen outside, then?"

I nodded. "I've been excused from morning training because of it. What are those things, anyway?"

"Carbuncles. A form of rare magical creature, though for being rare there are an astonishingly large amount of them. The headmaster was very vague about how they came to be." She sniffed, disapproving in every manner. "Something about a student casting a summoning spell for one of them, and ending up summoning enough to cover the entirety of the grounds and a large amount of the forest. Many of the teachers are going to spend the day vanishing them back to where they came from, wherever that is. Apparently the student who did it and her buddy are going to have to help with that."

While doing all this, she finished putting my breakfast together. The food for the rest of the students was being magically mass produced. I was one of the few students who had special meals made for them due to certain dietary restrictions or preference—I know of one girl who was strictly vegan, and another who was allergic to a bunch of things.

"Speaking of the girl, would you mind fetching her? I need to watch the food or I'd do it myself."

"Sure." I replied. The dormmother told me the floor and room number, as well as the girl's name, and I left my food on a table. Climbing a set of stairs, I wondered what kind of girl caused something like this.

I knocked on the correct door, and heard a groaned, "Coming...!" A few heavy footsteps later, the door opened to reveal Amelia Nile, her long caramel hair a bedhead-mess.

"Is a Katalina Sommer here? She's supposed to report to the front of the dorm in about half an hour, by order of the headmaster. Apparently she caused this carbuncle mess?"

Nile looked extremely confused, "Yeah, she's here. But what do you mean by carbuncles?"

"Look outside." I noticed that they had the curtain to their balcony closed, and I waited at the door while Nile hurried over to the curtain, yanking them open only to yelp as the light hit her eyes. A moan came from the other bed, where something, presumably Miss Sommer, was curled up under the blankets with a little pink ball on top of her. The pink ball fell off when Amelia gasped, causing the other girl to sit up.

"Waz goin' on?" she mumbled.

"Katalina, did you do this?" Nile said, pulling the confused brunette out of bed and over to the window.

The girl stood there for a moment before letting out her own gasp. "No way!" she groaned.

Nile started laughing. "Girl, you've really done it this time. You're supposed to meet the headmaster in front of the dorm in, what was it again, Krammer?" She looked over at me.

"Half an hour," I replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go." I turned, shutting the door behind me, and walked back towards the place where my breakfast awaited.

Next to my plate I found another magic note waiting for me. I opened it, and it contained a very nice, almost calligraphic script. It wasn't signed, but I knew exactly who it was from.

' _Meet me in our clearing at noon._

 _P.s. bring lunch, your dormmother likes you more than mine does me._ '

I snorted. Of course.

But I wondered what he wanted. Surely it was more than just a picnic.

…. …. ….

Luca's POV

I was walking through the school, burning time before I went to go meet Marelda. I was even legal—I asked the headmaster permission to wander about the grounds, carefully wording it so he'd know I'd be doing it whether or not he ended up giving me permission. Very directly telling him I meant no harm, I informed him that I refused to be stuck inside on such a nice day, regardless of the strange occurance of a carbuncle takeover and what had proceeded it. Which was something else I hinted at knowing about. That was mostly based on speculation and deduction rather than hard fact, but it did the trick.

He sent a quick note back with permission.

It wasn't hard to walk through the school itself. All the teachers were gone, presumably taking care of a sector of the grounds, and the carbuncles were only outside and were disappearing fairly rapidly. I was passing one of the courtyards on my way towards the South Forest when I heard voices. I decided to listen in, because why not?

"It seems like they've made Professor Merkulova resign." That was Elias, I believe.

"I see." a girl's, Katalina's, voice said, "He was such a nice teacher, too. Power really does make people go crazy, I guess."

"Yeah…" Elias agreed, sounding distracted, "The weaker you are, the more power you want. I was the same…"

This seemed interesting.

"Elias…"

"Remember that time I challenged Luca to a duel in Practical Magic?"

I wonder how this pertains to what he said.

"Yeah."

"At that time, if Luca had really wanted to, he could have beaten me, easily."

"You don't know that."

I shook my head, laughing silently. That girl was exactly what the Prince needed. I've been able to tell from very early on. Maybe he's figured it out himself?

"No, I do. Luca is a lot stronger than he likes to let on." I am. I've got my reasons, though, don't I? "But...I feel like I understand a little more about how Luca feels, about why he never takes magic seriously. Maybe it was because he possessed such 'power'. Maybe it's the thing he's afraid of the most. Selene once told me—and said she was quoting some sort of fictional hero with spider-powers or something—that 'with great power comes great responsibility.'"

Surprisingly insightful for a stiff. But he's not quite right. I just love screwing around with magic. It's more fun than following the books. Also, classes are boring, seeing as they really don't teach me much I don't already know.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Katalina sounded confused. Nothing new, really.

"The more power you have, the more pressure there is on how you use it. Selene told me that one of her biggest fears is that she'll end up hurting someone with her magic. Her fire is pretty much under control, and her wind is now, too, but she once told me something. When she goes into an extremely emotional state, she completely loses control of her powers, and doesn't remember anything that happens once control is lost until she passes out. She told me she once nearly killed a kid because of it, and that she's lost control like that seven times in her life. And it terrifies her that one day she might lose control and never be able to get it back. Selene is one of the most powerful magic-users I know. But I don't think I'd ever want such power, if such heavy burdens and fears came with it. It takes a stronger person than I to have so much power and be able to manage all the responsibilities that came with it."

Huh. I hadn't known that about Selene. I filed it away in my head for later.

"Elias…"

"Well," he said, "No matter what we say here, it's not really going to change anything, anyway." I heard a quiet thump, like Elias had sat on the ground. "The sky looks nice today, too." Apparently I was right.

"Yeah. It's beautiful."

It was a little while before either of them said anything. I just leaned against the pole and waited, lost in thought. I wonder if Marelda will actually come, even though it's not quite noon yet. She's not much of one for breaking rules, even temporary ones.

"You're really something." Elias said all of a sudden. "This sky, the wind, the earth, the warm sunlight...it feels like they're all a part of you." Wow, what a sap! I had to physically cover my mouth to not laugh aloud at that.

"Wha…"

"Maybe there's something about you I've admired all along…something I don't have…"

"Elias…"

"That's why I…"

Huh. I can't believe it. He's actually about to confess to her. Impressive.

And fun. For me. I pushed myself off the pillar and sauntered into the courtyard. "Are you guys taking a nice friendly nap, or something?"

Katalina and Elias both jolted at the sound of my voice, looked at one another, and then scrambled to get up.

"Hey lovebirds." I smirked, watching as they brushed the grass off their uniforms.

"Luca!" Katalina exclaimed.

"What are you doing here?!" Elias demand, "Without permission, students are to stay in within their respective dorms!"

I chuckled, "Why don't we say, 'I went for a walk.'"

"Luca!" Katalina scolded. "Doing things like this without permission is just going to get you in trouble!"

"Oh, are you worried about me?" I could practically see what Selene would call the "irk" mark on Elias' forehead. This was too much fun. "Aw, you shouldn't have been worried, Kittycat, I'm not going to get in too much trouble!"

"Shouldn't you be worried about how Selene would react? From what I've heard, she'd get upset with you. I've also heard that when Selene's upset, you shouldn't be near her." Katalina continued.

I laughed putting an arm around her shoulders. Elias' fists clenched.

"Hey!" He growled at me, "Don't touch her!" He grabbed my arm and yanked it off Katalina.

"Ouch, your grip is too tight, man," I whined as he pulled Katalina behind him, all protective-like. I smirked. "Let me guess. You've gotten yourself a special little princess, huh?"

"It's got nothing to do with you," he replied, sounding about as stuffy as he could.

"Well, as we're on topic, why don't we have a duel? If you win, I'll go back to the dorms, no fuss. But, if _I_ win," I paused for effect. "I get Katalina."

It cannot be said that I am incapable of riling people up.

Katalina choked in surprise. "What?!"

His eyes narrowed as he glared at me, "Let me tell you this. I don't know what you're up to. And I'm not going to hand over Katalina, that's for sure."

"Aw shucks." I grinned, laughing. "How boring. Ah, whatever. Anyway, I'm going to come for you again sometime, Katalina." I winked at her. "But for now, I've got places to be, so see ya later Kittycat~!"

"Luca!" Elias snapped.

I lost the rest of what probably turned into an irritated rant as I made my way to the South Forest. Messing with Elias was just _too_ easy.

When I finally was in the clearing, I found it empty, of people and carbuncles. It was a little messy, so I used a wind spell to clean it up real quick before taking my bag off. It was a little before noon, so I pulled out my current sketchpad and started drawing.

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Review Replies:

TheFallenHer0: Well, Marelda has no patience 98% of the time for Luca's crap, and Maeghan isn't a huge fan of Luca, really. But she's from a family of healers and so feels a duty to help the injured. And yeah, the cleaning stuff was terminating not only natural bacteria that could cause infection, but also magical residue that would have made healing the wound naturally impossible. Without the magical residue, it would have been less painful, but not a lot. I mean, antiseptic liquids hurt against open wound, you know? And I hope you like what's upcoming, because I've had a lot of fun getting this story started again!


	14. Chapter 13

I have to say that at this point, these two might be my favorite friendship because they're not going to be in a relationship for a long time. They're so much fun to write.

* * *

Chapter 13

Marelda's POV

I hefted the basket of food the dormmother gave me a little higher. I asked if I could have a lunch because a friend wanted to meet up, and she got this look in her eye and agreed. It was highly suspicious but I didn't argue. I had a feeling I didn't want to know. So I just took the basket and left. I went out the kitchen door, because the dorm mother recommended it, as to not let other people know I was breaking the confinement to the dorms.

The way the academy was situated was that the dorms were on the sound and north sides of the academy, the front of which faces west. The South Forest was by the girls' dorm, the North Forest by the boys'. West had a road leading to the down to the nearby town, Stargate, and behind the academy was over two miles of thin woods and clearings, as well as the lake. But if you go to far you'll hit the East Forest. Sir Vargas had taken me near it once. Even during bright, broad daylight, it was creepy and eerie enough to give me goosebumps.

How Luca went in—not to mention _alone_ —without going crazy was beyond me. Luca is something else.

Speaking of something else, when I reached the clearing where we were to meet, I found him already waiting. He was drawing in a sketchbook, only using some odd sort of pencil and a little pink block thing. So absorbed was he that he didn't notice me as I walked up behind him. I peeked over his shoulder, and saw that he was sketching the clearing.

"So why exactly did you call me out here?"

He jumped. "Bella! I didn't hear you. This seems to happen often, perhaps we should get you a bell, bella?"

"Haha, very funny. Now why am I here?"

He stood up, pouting. "Can't we just hang out? It's such a nice day, am I not allowed to just want to spend some time with my buddy?"

I gave him an obviously suspicious look.

He sighed, dropping the flamboyant tone. "I had no real reason other than boredom. I did actually think spending time with you would be enjoyable."

I rolled my eyes and held out the basket. "You're lucky my dormmother likes me. Because she acted suspicious when I asked her for this and gave me a look I qualify as odd."

He lit up at the sight of the basket, and eagerly took it from me. He pulled out his wand and conjured a dark green blanket. A few more flicks and the blanket was neatly spread out on the ground. Setting the basket down on it, he sat down and patted the blanket. "Care to join me, bella?"

"I've told you how many times to stop calling me that?" I deadpanned. But I did sit on the blanket, though not next to him.

"You never believe me, though, so I'll keep saying it until you do," he teased.

Rolling my eyes, I decided to change the topic. "So what's that utensil you were using for drawing? It seems similar to a pencil but it's different."

"Oh, this?" He held up the yellow thing and I nodded. "It's a Terran pencil. Selene got me a bunch of them, when she found out I liked drawing. Got me some of these"—he held up the pink thing—"erasers, too. I must say, they're a lot easier to use than the ones here. They break less and are easier to sharpen."

"You seem close to Selene, even before you found out you might possibly be cousins."

"Jealous, bella?"

I gave him a look and he chuckled, leaning back on his elbows and looking up at the trees.

"I tease, I tease. And yes, she's one of the few people I'd consider an actual friend. She's very open, and quite nosy. Very good at figuring other people out. Easy to talk to. High energy." He laughed. "Boy, does that girl have so much energy. She draws people in, and it's hard not to want to be her friend. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "I hear a lot about the Terran girl, that's all. Never talked to her, didn't even realize I've been seeing her nearly every day until recently." At his interested look I continued. "I didn't realize that she was the girl I passed in the mornings everyday when I went to get breakfast. She was always in the student's section of the kitchens before dawn, making something or other. Dormmother pointed out it was her after she vanished. She always seemed nice, usually gave me a smile, but I never talked to her. I was too busy."

"You always seem to be busy, bella. Take some time to relax a bit and smell the flowers. They're quite nice."

"Being relaxed in my field get you killed."

He looked over at me, his expression unreadable for a moment before smiling. "You're only young once, bella, so why are you so serious? Can't you relax a bit before you have to be high strung on the regular? Even professional warriors have to take time to relax, or they'll snap." He made a noise, mimicking a breaking sound. "We aren't in wartime, and the way the current monarchy is, I doubt we will be in this lifetime. We've got plenty of allies and our only real enemies are mostly far, far away." He flopped back into the ground.

I sighed, shaking my head as I laid back, too. "You don't understand."

"Then explain it," he said. "What don't I understand?"

"Eclos raids us regularly. All the border towns are in constant danger of being raided. They're mostly farming and trading villages. No big cities with their own guard. There aren't enough warriors to cover the borders constantly without leaving other parts of the kingdom defenceless, so they often have to fend for themselves. Like my village. It's right by the border. Surrounded by forest. It's small. Better defended than it used to be, but not as well as it could be. I only have summers to work with them, after all. I'm working so hard so that when I'm an official warrior I can go up and down the border and train the villagers on how to better defend themselves. It's foolish to think I can save them all, but I can most certainly save as many as possible."

Luca's POV

"You never talk about your village," I observed. "Why is that? I mean, I told you my under-dramatic backstory, what's yours?" I couldn't help but glance over at my buddy. Her hair was a little longer than it had been when we first met. It used to be cropped pixie-short, but it was brushing the tips of her ears now. No doubt she'd cut it soon. "You had an older brother, right? Tell me about him."

It was silent for a few moments before she sighed. "I suppose it's only fair." She inhaled before continuing. "Parker was my best friend, despite being about seven years older. He was the epitome of a perfect big brother. He would always let me come hunting with him in the mornings, teaching me how to use simple hunting weapons. He wanted to be a warrior, too, though he had no magic. Built like a tree, tall and thin. He would always joke about how quietly I'd move, but he was much better at it. He would've gone far in the army, I know he would have."

"Is he why you wanted to become a warrior?" I asked in the lull.

"Initially. But then it became for me, on my seventh birthday, actually. That was when everything changed."

It was slight, but I caught it. Her voice, for less than a second, broke in tone. "What happened?"

"Raiders," she said. "Raiders attacked that night. Parker sent me with our little siblings and our mother to lead them to our hunter's hut. But I left once they were there to go back and help."

I sat up and looked at her. "Seven years old and you decide it would be smart to go run into battle? Geeze, bella, and I thought you were gutsy now!"

She snorted, not so much in laughter, but more bitterly. "It's my biggest regret. I screwed everything up by going to the fight. Parker noticed me, and tried to get me to leave. It got him stabbed in the back. Literally." I watched as she closed her eyes and tried to keep her breathing steady. Eventually she started "I would've ended up either dead or a gang whore if Jakob hadn't noticed and took down the raider with his hammer. He's the town blacksmith now, but then he was only the apprentice. Parker's best friend. He dragged Parker to the edge of town and told me to stay with him. This time I listened. But he lost so much blood that he would have died no matter what happened. It was my fault."

How does Selene do it? I know several people at this school have told her what horrible things they'd been through, and that she always knew exactly how to react. I was just frozen. I had no idea what to say. None. My childhood was crap, but at least I was healthy, relatively content because I knew nothing else. But I had nothing on this. The burden of a dead loved one. And I couldn't even sympathize because there was no one I'd loved that I'd lost, seeing as I've never really loved anyone.

"I don't think that was your fault." The sentence slipped out of my mouth before I'd even thought it. Crap. Hopefully that was a good thing to say.

Authoress: Where's the usual silver-tongued Luca, hmm?

Shut up.

"Pray tell, Luca, how wasn't it my fault?" She sat up, looking at me, face void of any emotion.

I looked right back, the exact same way. "Seven years old. That's how old you were, right? You didn't know better. You wanted to help someone you loved. All I can see from my view is you loved your family enough to want to fight and protect them, even so young. I envy that. I don't think there's anyone, even now, that I'd risk my life for. You may have lost someone special to you, but he loved you enough to die to protect you. That's something admirable. And hey, isn't that what has given you the motivation to protect others from the same fate?"

She was quiet, looking at me. Then she smiled, ever so slightly. "Yeah. I suppose that's true. Thanks."

I grinned cheekily. "Couldn't have my bella all sulky, could I? You're not fun like that."

She rolled her eyes. "Idiot." Reaching over, she opened the basket and tossed a wrapped item at me. "Here, something other than silly words to go in your mouth."

I winked at her and unwrapped the sandwich.

"I also met a woman warrior that day."

I looked back up at her, chewing. Tilting my head, I gestured for her to go on.

"Her name is Elma. She and her brother, Barin, came to help my village that night. With their help, they managed to drive the raiders away. She's the reason I got into the Academy, because she convinced Barin, pretty easily, to give me a recommendation to take the warrior program. Most warriors start training at sixteen, and learning to use battle magic at eighteen. I got to start here with the program Barin created, beginning at fifteen."

I swallowed, smiling. "I'm glad she did, because life would be so dull here without you, bella."

She gave me another look, but I could tell it was less annoyed and more…eye-rolly, in the best of ways.

Authoress: Nice word choice, Luca.

Shut up. Selene uses weird words all the time.

Authoress: Touche.

"So, have you seen them since then?"

She nodded. "Several times. They come to check on me at the end of every year, and occasionally will pop in when they're in the area on break. They like to consider me, in Barin's words, a 'pet project'. My family can't afford all the things necessary for a warrior-in-training of my path, so they chip in and help. They'll send me letters and such, as well."

"That sounds like fun." I commented. She has so many people around her to support her. A family that loves her, friends that support her. She's incredibly lucky.

"It is. You'll have to come visit during the summer. Willie would love you, and constantly beg you to show him magic. And you'd do it, because we both know how much you like to show off." Was she…teasing me? She was. Marelda Krammer, a total stiff most of the time, was actually teasing me.

Wait.

"Did you just invite me to join you for summer vacation?" I smirked a little as she scoffed.

"Sorry for thinking my buddy would enjoy actually spending time with an actual family for once. I apologize for assuming." She shrugged, all nonchalant.

"Wait! I'm sorry bella I was just joking I'd love to go!"

She put a hand to her mouth, shoulders shaking. It took about two seconds before she threw her head and laughed. I sat, stunned, at the out of character show of emotion. She laughed so hard she had to fall back and lay on the ground, clutching her stomach. I had no words. None.

"You…should've seen…your face!" she managed to gasp.

I shook my head, unable to resist a smile and a chuckle. This was nice, talking freely with someone. No secrets, nothing.

I think at this point, I can consider Marelda Krammer by second official friend.

That has a nice ring to it.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Marelda's POV

It was a spur of the moment, completely in the moment, decision.

Meaning, highly unusual for me.

I'm not sure why I invited him to my place for the summer. But I'd gotten to thinking about what he said, concerning my family. He looked absolutely pitiful, that's for sure. I don't even think he realized it. The envy was apparent, and he's usually better at hiding his emotions. So, I invited him to meet my family.

Authoress: Cute! How's this going to go? Willie will get a new big brother, is that it?

Wow. I can't believe this supposed all-knowing Authoress is so…not smart.

Authoress: Hey! That was rude. I'm only teasing, you know! *pouts* Luca is so much nicer to me. You're acting like Elias and being mean. Imma go bug the nice person! Because he's nice!

I rolled my eyes. For heaven's sake. She's quite childish.

Authoress *in the distance*: I heard that!

She was meant to.

 _Moving on_ , it seems I actually need to tell my mother a few things. Like that I've got a buddy. Who I may have invited to come to our house over the summer. This will be interesting. By interesting I mean awful because my mother will be so preoccupied with Luca being _male_ that she'll ignore anything else I say and assume the two of us are dating and get way overexcited.

I will have to have Aaron, my stepfather, do damage control. He usually takes my side with these things, thankfully. But, unfortunately, that doesn't mean he won't pull Luca aside if I get distracted to interrogate him about his "intentions"—as if I wasn't totally capable of destroying the boy in combat myself. Luca's got plenty of talent, but no refinement.

Thinking about it as I wander into bed later that night, after Luca and I went our separate ways, I think I did the right thing. He probably didn't realize just how happy he looked from then on out, as we continued to talk, most of it things of little to no importance.

The boy had no idea what a family was like. And, it seemed as if he was coming to trust me, something that I found greatly satisfying. I think, at this point, I could consider him an ally, at the very least, if not a friend. Heavens know the boy needs them. No one deserves to be alone like he was. It's cruel.

Luca's POV

It was Friday, a little over a week since the picnic. School had ended about two hours previous, and I was running around trying to find Marelda. I'd been eavesdropping again, and the information I gained was well worth the scolding I'd probably get.

She wasn't at the training grounds. Or the clearing. I was currently on my way to her dorm, and if she wasn't there I had absolutely no clue where she was.

It was long before curfew, so I was able to easily enter the girl's dorm. I went mostly unnoticed as I made my way to her room. I'd only visited it twice, but both I'd come from outside, it being past curfew. This was the first time I'd come from the inside like a normal person.

Reaching her door, I knocked. A few footsteps later, it opened to reveal Maeghan.

She took one look at me and said, "She's in the library, probably in one of the back rooms."

I could barely get out a "thank you" before the door was shut in my face. For such a normally cheerful girl, she sure didn't seem to like me.

Sighing, I headed to the library. Upon arrival, I made my way straight to the back. There were several study rooms, and I found Marelda in the third room I tried. She was surrounded by a mess of papers, with a few books scattered in, and looking highly frustrated. Her hair looked like she'd been running her fingers through it, sticking up at odd angles, and her nose was scrunched up. I'll admit, it was entertaining seeing someone normally very put-together such a mess.

I leaned against the doorway. "Hey."

She jumped, looked up, saw me, and then rolled her eyes. "Do you need something?"

"A little irritable, I see. Homework troubles?"

"Do you need something or are you just being disruptive?" she snapped.

Well, she was in no mood where I felt comfortable telling her about my eavesdropping. I'd probably get punches instead of scolded, the way this was looking. Better calm her down first.

"I did have a reason but we'll get to that once we get through your homework. What're you working on?"

"You probably wouldn't have learned it in class yet, seeing as you're two levels below."

I slid next to her, glancing at the papers. "Theory of infatuation potions?" I normally would've teased her about it, joking about how she better not be making one to slip into my drink, and how she only had to ask, but I decided to keep serious for once because I'd rather not risk another black eye. "What part has you stuck, I did research on these last year after I read a novel where one was a big part of the story."

She looked surprised, then laughed, instantly less tense. She was laughing uncontrollably, and I could do nothing but watch uncomfortably as my buddy finally snapped. If I hadn't caught her and pulled her back up, she would have fallen off her chair. It was a few minutes before she calmed down enough to breath properly. Still red in the face and breathing heavily. "Sorry, I just tried picturing you curling up with a romance novel that had a risque cover and completely lost it."

I smiled, shaking my head. "Well, as it's seemed to cheer you up, bella, I'll ignore that. I'll have you know that it was actually about a master potions maker who took the wrong commision and had to clean up the effects of a love potion gone wrong."

"Sure, sure." She smirked, but I could tell it wasn't serious. "But I wouldn't reject help with this. I'm crap at theory."

I mimicked her, rolling my eyes and sighing in exasperation. "If you insist, I suppose I could help."

Marelda's POV

"There. That should do it for your essay," Luca said.

We'd spent the last hour on my essay. He'd actually been incredibly helpful, even before we started. I laughed harder than I had in a long time, and it entirely resolved the headache I'd gotten from the stress of trying to figure out the essay. And we still had over an hour until curfew.

"Thanks. I'd offer to help with your homework, but we both know you don't need help with doing it. Just help making sure you do it."

He stuck his tongue out at me, but then smiled. "I have a Mother Selene, I don't need a Mother Marelda."

I raised a brow. "Speaking of your work, I hope you're actually doing it because my class grades are bad enough without you bringing them down further."

He pouted, making a high-pitched whining sound. Not saying anything, just making the annoying noise. So I punched his arm, making him yelp.

"…I deserved that."

"You think?" I deadpanned. "Anyway, what did you need? As in, why did you come, because I know it wasn't to help me with my homework."

He paused. "You know, that totally slipped my mind. I did have a purpose in finding you. The Emperor is back. And, before you hit me, I know I should have eavesdropped. See?" He smacked his arm. "Punished. But it was important information."

The prefect was back? Did that mean…?

"Selene isn't back. Apparently no one is sure if she will."

I widened my eyes in alarm. "Is she alive?"

He inhaled sharply. "Oh, yes, yes, she's alive. I didn't mean for it to come off like she was dead, sorry. It's just, apparently not even her buddy is sure if she's coming back to the academy, or if she'll quit and stay home."

"That sounds pretty serious. Why wouldn't she come back?" I mean, it was unusual that her buddy went to visit her, even if she did leave because of a family emergency, but most unusual was the fact that they both were gone for about a month. Next week is the last week of school before winter break.

"I'm not sure. They didn't really talk about that," he admitted. "However, I did learn two big things."

"Go on."

"The Prince and his buddy were lured to the Tower of Sorrow by Ex-Professor Merkulova."

I didn't have the man as a teacher this year, but I had last year. He'd been a mild-mannered, kind teacher. Well-liked by the students. I'd heard of his sudden firing the other week, but no one seemed to know why. "Why would he do that? It seems incredibly out of character."

Luca just shook his head. "Power-crazed. He was tempted by a fantasy of being able to gain a lot of power, that the legendary treasure of the Tower had the ability of making him much more powerful. Unfortunately for him, the Prince managed to take him out and keep his buddy from getting killed. Impressive, I will admit."

"You tried to reach the Tower once, didn't you?"

"Yeah. That wasn't smart. I underestimated the protections surrounding it." He talked about it like it was more an experiment than anything. "Who knew that the legendary fog of illusionary insanity would be one of them. It's a fae-made one, too, meaning it's a lot stronger than a human one. Nearly went legally crazy, and I'm not in a rush to rush in again."

"You sound like you're going to try it again." My tone held a warning. He can't be that stupid, to try again.

"Not on my own. I plan on figuring a way to reach it safely. Recruiting a…bit of help. We'd need Katalina, because she can hear the guiding song, and I was hoping you, too, would come because you're a good fighter, and you know about what my researching is. After we research how exactly to take care of a chimera."

I stared at him, wide-eyed with shock, but he kept going on with his plans.

"Selene not coming back would be a problem, so I might have to figure out how to get a letter explaining all this to her. I'd prefer to do it in person, it's safer that way, but if all else fails…anyway, she'd also be someone I'd want along. We'll have to see if she'd not tell the Emperor, because he most certainly wouldn't approve and would probably stop us, if not report us. Hmm, maybe Selene could convince him. She's good at that." He kept going, and I was having a problem finding words to say.

"You…"

At the sound of my voice, he paused. "Yes?"

"Idiot." I inhaled. "You nearly go mad trying to reach it once, so, because it didn't, you're going to try again? Pray tell, what is so important about it?"

He gave a long-suffering sigh, which I found quite a bit annoying. "The Tower doesn't hold much more than the petrified Dragon of Time. The rumors of it holding riches aren't true. The wealth of the royal family is held in the treasury. But what, besides materialistic things, is valuable? What do so many people risk lives to gain? Think about it."

It took a few minutes, but I came up with the answer. "Information? You think it contains information on the royal family, don't you?"

"Why else would it be so heavily protected in the middle of a powerful country? The dragon itself isn't all that big a deal, all things considered. So something in the Tower must be holding some secrets of the family. A record, maybe. Something."

Everything, in an instant, clicked into place. "You think going to the Tower would allow you to prove you're the son of Princess Aulelia."

He nodded.

"You idiot!"

He recoiled from my sudden shout, eyes wide.

"If you keep focusing on the past, you'll never be able to move forward. You're not the same person you were, but you're not yourself either. You keep trying to pull on this mask, but you refuse to let yourself, your true self, come through. You're stuck, Luca, stuck in a place you were put in, a place you refuse to leave. You're seeking a family among the dead, when you could be looking for one among the living! You're willing to risk your life, the life of others, so selfishly, for the sake of figuring out the secrets of the _dead_!" My voice got louder, and I was glad we were in a deserted part of the library. "I know that's a bit hypocritical coming from me, but at least I'm making the effort to move forward! You, one the other hand, you! You're stagnant, refusing to move forward as you struggle to impossible move back! If what you think is true, then why are you wasting it? Why are you wasting away the life you were given? I knew you were selfish, Luca, but I didn't think you were this greedy!" I snatched my things and stomped out of out the library.

This fury was "unbecoming" but screw it. I'm pissed.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Luca's POV

Currently, I was walking along the deserted corridors of the northern part of the school. Classes had ended a little while ago, and most students had headed for the dorms or the library or the grounds, the weather being fantastic. But I noticed it not.

My head had been in a fog for almost four days now. Everything seemed muted. Sounds registered, but took longer than normal. I saw things moving just a second slower than they should. The only thing that seemed to be keeping in time, really, was Marelda's words.

" _I knew you were selfish, Luca, but I didn't think you were this greedy!_ "

She was right. One-hundred and seven percent correct. I was being selfish. I hadn't even realized how much danger I'd be putting everyone I wanted to get involved in. Katalina nearly died last time she went to the Tower, and I wanted her to lead me? She's a good person, and doesn't deserve to die because I wanted something. I'd put Selene in danger, after how much she'd already been through. A kidnapping? An attempted coup of a different world? She had enough to deal with in the aftermath of all that without me dragging her into my desperate attempts of figuring out my parentage. And Marelda? She was a brilliant fighter, but she wasn't at the level of an official warrior. Pitting her against a chimera would mean almost certain death for her. I should've known better, and I wish I could make the excuse of not having even thought about the consequences without it sounding like an excuse.

If we had gone through with it, it was likely all three of us would die. Selene, who is apparently half human, would be the most likely to live, and I'd put her through the horror of watching three people die and not being able to save them, so soon after she'd lost someone incredibly important to her. It would be so, dangerous, _deadly_ selfish of me. An idiot's gambit. A cornered animal's desperate lunge. A fatal mistake.

That wasn't the only thing Marelda was right about, either.

"Come on, sweetheart, it's not that big a deal."

My thoughts were interrupted and that made my quite irritated. Couldn't couples find another place to make out?

I turned the corner and found where the couple was. The guy had the girl up against the wall, on hand pressing against the wall, the other on her arm.

Okay. So they aren't a couple. That is, judging by the panicked look of the girl's face.

The large blue bow around her neck and the tight blonde bun made her easily recognizable—she was one of the Vir Ingeniosus kids, Helice Crawford. Contrary to the popular belief, the kids in that class weren't geniuses, per say, but magic-users who used a different kind of magic than the standard, from spellsinging to other fae-esque magic. I'd researched it covertly a year back, out of boredom. This girl used magic through movement, particularly dance.

She was also entirely mute. And looked terrified. She tried to push the guy—one of the older students, from a normal class—away, but he didn't budge. Silently, she caught my eyes, pleading wordlessly for help, and I pulled out my wand.

I didn't even need to say the spell that threw the guy against the opposing wall of the corridor. He screamed in surprise. "What the…!"

"The little lady didn't look as if she liked what you were wanting." I recognized the boy now. Kurtus Masgie, level nineteen. He had a reputation for kissing girls who didn't want to be kissed.

He scrambled up, glaring at me. "Butt out, Orlem. Why do you care?"

I laughed, but it wasn't a pleasant one. It was quite the sardonic sound.

"Why should I care? Well, my bella would be quite…unhappy, if she knew I left a scared maiden in the hands of a creep such as yourself." My tone was light, but my look was anything but. "Reputation precedes you, Masgie. I could very well report you for harassment. If I recall correctly, you're on your final strike, no?" I smirked. My information network was the best one in the school, and it had done its job again when I saw the worried look in the older boy's eyes. "And, well, I know my reputation precedes myself. Would you like a taste of some high-level fire magic? I must say, Selene taught me some nifty tricks I've been dying to try on a real person. There's this one I think you'd like, Masgie. It's purpose is similar to the curse of no-heirs, only much more…unpleasant."

Between my tone and the look in my eyes, he scrambled away as fast as he could. I nodded my head stiffly, my job done.

Mostly.

I turned back around. The dancer girl was shaking, arms wrapped around herself. She looked on the verge of tears.

"Let's get you to the nurse, you clearly need a calming draught." I was wary of touching her, but she didn't seem to mind me slightly touching her elbow as I led her to the infirmary.

"Helice!" Both the girl called and I jumped at the shout. In ran a barefoot girl. The tanned skin and black hair were necessary to tell me who the girl was—the pale, milky eyes were enough. From my information network, this was Dessa Koens, another student in the Vir Ingeniosus program. Blind since birth, the girl uses plant-based magic (hence, I assume, the bare feet). I've got suspicions that it was a fae-gift, since the Koens family was, while well-known in the politics world, a family that didn't seem to have much magic in it.

"Someone told me you were taken to the nurse! What happened?" She ignored me, who sat in a chair next to the bed Helice was in (the nurse told me I had to wait until the headmaster came and got me—and while I normally wouldn't have skipped, I actually respect Nurse Asta), in favor of giving the mute girl a pat down. "I swear if it was that Masgie creep I'm going to skin him!"

Helice tapped her friend's arm in a series of patterns. Interesting, was that how she communicated with Dessa? It would make sense. While there was a form of communication using hand signals, it would be useless to use them since the other girl wouldn't be able to see them. Perhaps the two had developed a new form of communication?

"I see," Dessa said after a minute or so. She turned her person towards me. "You're the Orlem kid, aren't you? Thanks for rescuing Helice. She refuses to tell me who from, but it was the Masgie creep, wasn't it?" So this wasn't a first time occurance.

I nodded my head, but then paused when I realized the absurdity of it. "Yes, but I don't believe he'll be bothering her again."

For someone who couldn't see another person's face, Dessa's was quite expressive. "And just how do you know that."

"I have my ways," I said, shrugging. "I have my ways. I'm no hero, don't get my wrong, but I'm not a fan of guys like him who try and force their will on others. Probably why I've got so many problems with authority."

A moment of silence preceded Dessa bursting into laughter. "You're not half bad, Orlem. Not half bad."

"I try."

It was an hour before I got released. Shortly after Dessa burst in, Nurse Asta came back with the headmaster, who questioned me about what happened. Of course, that was after he questioned Helice, who had Dessa speak for her.

I later, after the three of us were sent to bed, it being close to curfew, asked about the tapping thing. Dessa explained that it was something that Helice and her younger brother, Joel—a spellsinger also in Vir Ingeniosus—came up with when the three of them figured out that signing wouldn't work. Turns out Dessa has known Helice since they were all young.

I bid them farewell, and they did the same. They were nice enough. More trustworthy than lots of the other students. Being different tends to do that, make you gravitate towards others who are different. Guess I was a part of that club now, even if I was in a different class, something that was sort of confirmed when others in their class nodded at me in the halls from then on, and when Joel Crawford came up and thanked me for saving his sister. Kid was incredibly blunt, blunter than even Marelda.

Skies above, Marelda. I need to fix things with her. I don't know when I started craving her company, but I'm finding it's miserable not spending any time with her.

Marelda's POV

Luca and I hadn't spoken in a week. I hadn't actually seen him in a week, either. It seems we were both avoiding each other.

I put all my focus into my studies and training, working off all the anger until I felt exhausted and numb. Sir Vargas could sense something was wrong, I knew, but in true Sir Vargas fashion, he didn't say anything. He prefered to leave "adolescent drama to the adolescents," as he put it.

The essay Luca helped me with got a 97%. No matter what most of the school thought about him, he was incredibly smart. I only missed a few points for spelling and grammar.

I knew I should apologize. I went way too far. I seemed to do that a lot. Luca was very good at getting me to say more than I really should, the tosser. But I needed to apologize. I'd been listening to rumors, and reports from Maeghan.

I'd heard girls in my regular classes talking about him. Apparently he rescued a girl in the Vir Ingeniosus class from the unwanted advances of one of the upper level students, one who was apparently on probation now and rumored to be terrified of my buddy. I wasn't sure how to take that.

And everyone seemed to know about how the school slacker had suddenly had a shift in personality. That I confirmed from my roommate. Luca had attended every class this week. Every. Single. One. On time, but participating only the minimum. He'd even been turning in homework, according to Maeghan, and was acting almost…muted, in a way. Wasn't causing any scenes in class, mostly just sat there dazed and zoned out.

Take this how you'd like, but I was actually incredibly concerned about this, and it quickly became a big source of guilt. It was undeniable that he was doing his classwork for my sake. I called him selfish, and so he was trying to do something about it. He deserved credit for that.

He deserved an apology, and an offer for help. Thinking more deeply on it, he had every right to want to go to that forsaken Tower. He knew nothing about who he was, where he came from. He had nothing to build off of to create the person he wanted to be. His childhood was mostly a big blank. Luca didn't deserve that. He deserved closure, and I was determined to help. That would be my apology, my true apology.

And so, now that it was Friday, I was going to do it. Well, I would in the morning, seeing as it was nearly eleven. I entertained the idea of pulling a stunt like he had the other week, and showing up outside his window, but I didn't know which room was his and I didn't want to risk getting in trouble.

Which brings up the question of how in heck he knew which room was mine.

Which brings up the question as to why in heck it didn't freak me out.

…It's too late for this crap.

* * *

I've given up on the new weapon a chapter thing. I'm too busy to be researching all these, sorry! Reviews:

TheFallenHer0: ((Ch 12)) I'm glad you liked the crossover between Warrior and Taming! I thought it would be fun, and it was. I'm not sure how much these two will cross in the future (at least with Marelda) BUT Warrior and Elemental will be crossing over a whole lot soon. And yes, Luca can't resist messing with Elias. I mean, Eli makes it too easy!

((Ch 13)) Frankly, I'm not even sure. Either she was happy that Marelda made a friend or assumed Marelda had a secret boyfriend. Or both. Can't say for sure. And yeah, part of Marelda's training is stealth. So she's pretty good at sneaking around. It didn't hurt that Luca was hyper-focused, either. I'm really glad you like the pacing with these two! This is actually the pairing that will take years to become and actual "couple." Luca has a lot of problems trusting people, and Marelda has goals. They'll be best friends for a looooong time before they decide they might as well get married. They do end up adopting a few (or having a few, haven't decided yet) girls that have Luca completely wrapped around their fingers (because I picture Luca wanting to be a stay at home dad (who does art) while Marelda goes off to battle).

((Ch 14)) I'm glad you see it that way, because that's what I'm going for. Personally, I feel that Marelda was too harsh, ad she realizes that herself in this. Most of Marelda's frustration was like "You've got people who care about you now why in heck are you putting them in danger for the dead?!" and such. But she did come to realize what you brought up. I've found, in my own life, my friends who've grown up with more normal/functional/caring families are less understanding of the grey area of life, because they haven't been exposed to the darker parts, meaning they can't comprehend that there is a grey area between black and white nearly as well as those of us who have had a more fractured family and such. I was trying to put that through here, and I'm glad you saw it. I also agree with you about Luca. About how he needs closure from this, and how he could go about this in a less secretive way. But we have to remember that practically his whole existence has been composed of secrets, so not being secretive is hard for him.

But, overall! I'm super happy you liked the chapters, hope you don't mind the long reply!


	17. Chapter 16

Shout out to my wonderful friend Susie, who, with her extensive scientific knowledge, beta'd this chapter to make sure the scientific concepts I was modifying made sense and were properly used. Thanks so much! I don't know what I'd do without you!

* * *

Chapter 16

Marelda's POV

"You're really hard to find when you don't want to be found." I'd been running around since nine, after drills, trying to find Luca. The boy knew how to hide, I'll give him that.

I ended up locating him in town, at Random's Items, when the kid with the eyepatch and the wolf told me he saw Luca going towards the school gates, where the blue-black haired boy himself had been headed. The boy looked incredibly familiar, and I knew it wasn't because I'd seen him at school, it had been somewhere else, I just don't know where. But that was a problem for another time.

Luca jumped, then turned around. "You need a bell, bella, I swear."

"Sorry," I said. "And not just for the whole constantly-startling you, because that's actually funny, but for what I said last week. It was out of line and extreme and I'm sorry."

He smiled, just a little upturn of one side of his mouth. "It is I who should apologize, bella. You were right, I was being selfish. After you left, I thought about it, and realized just how stupidly dangerous my plan was. In all reality, the only one who'd probably make it out would be Selene, and that only because she's half-human."

"What?" Selene, his maybe half-cousin, is now suddenly half-human?

Luca seemed to realize the absurdity I was hearing. "Oh, yeah. We never got to that point of the conversation, did we? Skies above, this is going to be an interesting talk."

And just like that, Luca seemed more normal. Well, normal for Luca, anyhow. I guess all was forgiven between us.

Luca's POV

Random's Items was one of a kind. The store had very little in the way of organization, things very loosely grouped by type. Some of the things were new, some secondhand. It had baskets of rock, and random bags of yarn, and piles of different parchments. You could dig around and find what you needed or wanted, and then bargain for the price. It was always an adventure.

And a good way to avoid being found, usually. Marelda did manage to locate me, however, and we both ended up apologizing. Now, we were in the Featherly Flour Cafe, hidden in a corner so we could talk. I never got to tell her about the second half of my eavesdropped information, the part that concerned Selene specifically.

"You said no one knew if Selene was coming back, right?"

I nodded. "Have you tried the donuts here? They're divine, honestly. I recommend the ones with strawberry icing."

"Yes, I have, and the white chocolate with the chocolate drizzle is the best," she replied casually. "Now, what did you hear?"

We told the waitress our orders before continuing, keeping our voices low. I cast a mild white noise spell around us, so no one more than a few feet away would be able to understand what we were saying.

"Soon after Selene returned to Terra, after her brother's passing, she was kidnapped by the creature that caused the 'accident'."

"I'd ask if you're taking the mickey, but your expression says no." Marelda shook her head. "Kidnapped right after her brother's death? Cruel."

"Yeah. They killed him to lure her away from the safety of the school," I continued. "Klaus pursued her, with some help, didn't catch from who but one was a faery. She was held hostage by an elemental."

"Elemental?"

"You might have heard the term 'phoenix'. It's a bit of a misnomer, honestly. I did some research into them this week, but turned up very little."

"How much research did you put into this?" She looked a tad concerned. Couldn't blame her, I looked a mess. Haven't combed my hair in a few days, there are some faint circles under my eyes, but other than that I was fine.

"Not as much as you'd think," I said. "There were only a few books that talked about them. All I could find is that they are literal creatures of elemental magic. Earth, fire, water, wind, that sort of thing. They predate the fae, are apparently ancestors of them, and they dislike human far more than the fae do, as whole. I found a few references to them in legends and origin stories. They apparently have three forms—animal, humanoid, and element—that are determined by different factors. One legend said they created a new world to exist in separately from the humans, which made sense from what I overheard. There was a book that apparently had as good a description as there is on them, but it was checked out from the library."

"So why did an elemental want Selene?"

"She's half elemental. It honestly makes a lot of sense. I'd guess fire, maybe a little wind. She can't use ice or water magic, and her earth spells tend to be incredibly weak. Her fire magic, however, is insanely strong. She manipulates it like you do knives, only better."

We paused as the waitress came up and set down our donuts and drinks. Marelda had gotten some sort of tea, and I'd gotten hot chocolate. Something Selene had introduced me to. I took a sip, nearly burning my tongue. This was way too hot. I set it down and bit a donut instead.

"So why did the elemental want her? I mean, wouldn't their magic be stronger?"

"That's exactly it. But, from what the Emperor said, elementals can only use magic of their elements, nothing else. Selene, though? She can use most magics, and her human and elemental magics sort of bounce off each other and make the other stronger. You've heard of the crystal energy effect, right?"

"I have no idea what that is."

I pulled out my notebook, setting it on the table, sketching a rough diagram.

"Well, basically the theory for this is that when you've got a crystal ball, made of tons upon tons of surfaces, right? If it's the right material and you shine a light on it,"—I drew a beam of light—"and it makes the ball glow brighter than the initial light. The light energy is theoretically bouncing around on the inside of the ball, unable to escape due to the refraction of the light, leading to a buildup of light energy. The light is eventually released in one burst, consisting of all the light that has built up over time. Essentially, the crystal working with the light is causing energy to increase. I'm guessing Selene's magic is like that. Her two magics are like the light and the crystal, bouncing off each other and making them stronger as a whole than they would be separately. However, when the magic is released, due to the fact she's a human, it'll leave her exhausted.

"So her human magic makes her elemental magic stronger, and vice versa?"

"Exactly. It's like they're feeding off each other, growing stronger, but also balancing. I'm making an assumption here, but my guess is that the elemental magic was initially stronger than the human magic, which is why Selene, particularly when she first came, pulled off extremely powerful fire magic with ease, but at the same time, she struggled with other areas of magic. It started getting better by the time she left, but I don't know now how it's changed."

"Fae live off the magic in the nature of Myula, right? What about elementals?"

"Ah, my theory about that is the world they live in is specially tailored to sustain them. So if selene spends time there, her elemental magic feeds of the natural magic there, which would put her magic out of balance even further. In addition, Emperor said something about a seal being broken. This fits my theory of the magical imbalance. If Selene's elemental magic had a seal on it, it would limit its power, hopefully long enough for her human magic to grow strong enough to balance it."

"But, if the seal is broken, wouldn't that create a further imbalance, since the elemental magic would no longer be restricted?"

"Correct, by the assumptions of my theory. This would mean that her magic would be on the fritz, and, if she wasn't careful, her elemental magic could overwhelm her. However, there are probably other factors I don't know. If elementals do have three forms, like some legends say, I don't know how that would affect an elemental halfling. It could be different for each halfling, to boot, particularly depending upon how much human magic they have, as well as the kind of elemental magic they have—I don't know if how many or little elements their elemental half contains affects it, or if the elements themselves do. I can't say that earth would be easier than, say, wind."

"That seems like a problem."

"Which may be why Selene might stay on Terra. There is no natural magic there, so the elemental side wouldn't have as much to feed on. But, there's the possibility it would start feeding on her life force if she stays there for to long. And I can't be sure how climate affects it, either. It's currently winter, so it might mean her fire needs more to stay at the same place, or less energy because it goes into a power-saving mode or something. There's also a possibility that it might be safer for her to be in Myula. Not nearly as much energy for it to feed on as the world of elementals, but there's something. A balance. I could be entirely wrong, however, and unless I get more details, I can't be sure of any of this."

"I'm so confused. How do you even think of all these factors?"

I shrugged. "I have lots of time to think during lessons I'm otherwise not learning anything from."

"Well, I'll leave theorizing up to you. It's making my head spin." She took a large bite her donut, chewing a bit before swallowing, following it up with a sip of tea. "So is there anything else you thought of that might affect this?"

I stretched before putting my notebook away, and ate more of my donut. "Plenty of things, but I feel this is enough for now. It's not like I can do anything about it unless I make contact with Selene. I'm debating asking the Emperor, but then he'd be suspicious as to why I want to contact her, and he's better at seeing through my bullcrap than most. Best I can do is wait for her to come back. I'm pretty sure she will, if I know anything about her."

* * *

TheFallenHer0: Glad you didn't mind the long reply, because here's another one! Yeah, Magsie (this name was a result of random keyboard smashing) was made to be that way. I don't like him either. As for Joel, he'll exist but I'm not sure how big a part he's going to play, honestly. He, Dessa, and Helice will be Selene's new classmates, but at this point I don't have anything big planned for them. But we will see some more of the girls. I actually had them switched before I actually wrote them. Dessa was going to be a blind dancer and Helice a mute plant mage. And she wasn't Joel's older sister until I made a random decision mid-typing. And I hope you liked the make up between the two, as well as the almost three pages of magical theory that followed...haha...ha. No regrets! I'm glad you like what I'm doing with the main two of this story, though! I don't know if I'll ever have these two romantically involved, honestly. I currently imagine them as the two who are just always best friends who decide, without romantic attraction involved, to just get married because they both want kids. So yeah. Get married because why not and adopt some kids (girls, probably, so Luca can spoil them) kind of thing.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Marelda's POV

This boy is something else. As I listened to his theories on elementals and Selene's magic, I was entirely blown away. This sounded like something we'd learn in advanced magical theory classes—something I'd never take because I'm crap at theory and it would only make me miserable. I much prefer practical application.

"So what will you do, then?" I asked.

"I'll wait," he said. "Not much I can do. It'll be annoying, but I can wait just fine. Now, do you have any plans today?"

"No, why?" Well, I did have a bit of homework, but it was winter break, meaning I had a few weeks to take care of that.

"Because I'm bored and would like company as I wander around town. You game?"

"Why not?" I shrugged.

His smirk had something wicked about it. "Have you ever been to Odd Types?"

Only Luca. I swear, only him. As it happened, previous to this I'd never been to the local second hand bookstore, Odd Types. It was similar to Random's Items, but with a little more organization. If anything, I now had an idea of what to get him for Midwinter.

It wasn't my ideal Saturday to spend it searching through hundred of books, but I have to say I enjoyed it. It was entertaining watching Luca get so excited about interesting books he'd find. He had his hair clipped back from his face (I did some mandatory teasing about him owning girl hair clips), and was sifting through piles of books, showing my interesting things he'd found.

"How do you afford so many books?" I asked upon learning that he often bought a book a week. "And where in heck do you keep them?"

"I've got an allowance that appears in my room once a month, and it's more than enough to buy a book a week," he said, not looking up from the stack he was looking through. "And I've got a pocket dimension storage for them. Never lose them, never have to worry about leaving them behind if I have to leave. It's handy."

What the heck! Pocket dimensions are incredibly high level magic. Mine was created by Barin, and I'd never be capable of creating my own, at this rate. It required an incredibly deep understanding of dimensional theory, and could go very wrong if not done correctly.

"Wait, how in heck did you get permission for that?" My eyes widened. "You _did_ get permission, didn't you?"

He looked up at this and snorted. "Of course I did, I'm a rule breaker, not a law breaker. Rules are made to be broken, law's made to uphold general order. I may have lied a bit when I did this, but I told the headmaster I was doing it either way, so he might as well give me permission."

I shook my head. "You are way too familiar with the headmaster."

"It works in my favor more often than not." He shrugged, turning back to the books. "Oh look! This is a first edition copy of _Magics of Early Post Dimensiva_. I've only been able to find second editions, I'm definitely getting this one. But…there's also this one." He held up a worn book that had _Theory of Dimensional Travel_. "It was published before transfer technology was created. It's been referenced in a few other books of mine. Which do you think I should get?"

"Why not get both?" I asked.

"I'd break my one a week rule," he replied. "I don't want to do that."

"Then get the older one, you said it was hard to find."

He nodded, taking it into consideration. "True. Okay, PD Magic it is." He put the other book back in the stack and headed to the front to pay. I made sure he was gone, then beckoned the helper over.

"Put this on hold for me, will you? I'll be back tomorrow to purchase it," I whispered. Well, gift found.

Luca's POV

Marelda came up just as I finished my purchase.

"What took you so long?" I asked, accepting the bag from the clerk.

She held up a book. "My sister loves faery tales, the original, gritty ones. Figured she'd like this, and since Midwinter is Monday. I was having trouble finding something for her. I was going to mail them tonight through the magic transports, since I'm staying at the academy during break."

I froze. Midwinter. I'd totally forgot. People get their friends presents for Midwinter. Crap. I should probably have gotten Marelda one. This is a problem. A big problem.

What would she even want? She doesn't seem like the jewelry type, unless it perhaps was a disguised weapon. She didn't have an interest in books past her classwork. Why is she so hard to shop for?

I wonder if I could slyly ask her what she wanted. "Ah, Midwinter. That."

Authoress: How eloquent, Luca, honestly.

Shut up.

Authoress: Don't be like Elias, now!

Then don't make fun of me.

Authoress: Someone's suddenly grumpy, aren't you? If you don't know what to get her, ask for help.

Wow. That's actually a good idea. But who would I ask?

Authoress: Searching for a gift for an unusual female? Ask other unusual females. Authoress out!

"Luca?"

I looked up. In Selene's words, I totally spaced. "Yes?"

She held up her bag slightly. "You ready to go?"

"Oh, yeah. Where next? You choose."

I burst into the school's little dance studio. It was originally a classroom, but it got remodeled into a dance room a few years back. I found the two people I was looking for.

"I need to cash in a favor can you help me?" I blurted it without a pause.

Helice—who was mid-stretch—looked over at me, brows furrowed. Dessa, who was sitting in a corner playing with some sort of potted plant, jumped at the sudden opening of the door.

"What the crap!" Dessa threw a small fistful of dirt in my direction, but it fell a few feet short seeing as she was across the room. "Knock!"

"Sorry," I replied sheepishly. "I'll do that next time, if need be."

Helice tapped loudly on the floor, and Dessa sighed. "I'll clean it up."

"Allow me." I pulled my wand out and waved it, and the dirt collected itself into a compact little ball and floated over to the blind girl, landing next to her pot.

Helice tapped the floor. "She wants to say she's impressed with the wordless magic," Dessa relayed. "So, what is it you need?"

"Will you please stop laughing. This is serious." I sighed rubbing my eyes. It was Sunday morning, about nine-thirty. I'd met Dessa and Helice at the edges of the gates.

"I still can't believe you forgot people exchange gifts on Midwinter!" Dessa snickered. "And here you are, begging for help finding one last minute."

Helice was smiling slightly, her expression conveying amusement at my predicament.

"Well, it's not like I've ever done this sort of thing before. It's a new experience, so spell me if I'm a little unprepared." I started walking forward as the teacher who was manning the gate waved us through. Security was incredibly lax during the holidays. Then again, only about twenty percent of the students stayed over the winter break.

Helice tapped Dessa's arm. "I was thinking the same thing. You've never exchanged Midwinter gifts? No friends, family? Nothing?"

I shook my head. "No family I've ever known, and not many friends. Never had the need. And I wouldn't even need your guy's help if Marelda weren't incredibly difficult to shop for."

Speaking of my buddy, I was to meet her this evening. Apparently there was a little Midwinter's eve party some of the students were having. It was a sort of game night Maeghan was making Marelda attend, and she invited (read: ordered) me to come.

Helice looked at me with wide, sad eyes. It made me uncomfortable. She tapped Dessa and the blind girl nodded. "I agree."

"With…what?" I inquired, feeling quite suspicious.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with," she replied, pushing her shoulder-length white-blonde hair behind her shoulder. "Screw this, Helice, can you be a dear and braid this back real quick? I'm most certainly getting it cut next week, when we get home."

The three of us paused for a minute as the dancer wove the other girl's hair into a simple braid, trying it off with a ribbon she'd pulled from seemingly nowhere.

I wonder if I should get these two small presents, for helping me out today. I thought it through, and I definitely have enough on me to do so, as long as they aren't extravagant. I think I will, and it's easy to come up with some for them. Something pretty, like a new neck or hair ribbon for Helice, and some odd seeds for Dessa.

But what to get Marelda? The girl just had to be so darn tough. Well, this is why I asked these two for help.

"So, as you two know," I began as we started walking again. "I have absolutely no idea what to get Marelda. Weapons, the most obvious choice, are out, because I highly doubt I can find anything in town she doesn't already have a least one, if not two of. Then, she's not much of one for trinkets or anything else she'd deem 'useless'."

"Hmm. So she likes practical, eh?" Dessa mused. "Perhaps something that instead of being for offense, something that's for defence. A protective charm. You're pretty smart, so you could even place the spells down yourself, and just find a normal necklace or something and enchante it with protective spells. She's a warrior-in-training, right? My uncle is a warrior mage, and he says that he's seen lots of green warriors saved because a loved one gave them an charmed amulet."

I nodded my head. That was actually a pretty good idea. And perhaps doing the spellwork myself would make it more personal, and therefore make up for my lack of planning. "That's a pretty good idea. I think it might just work."

Helice waved a hand to get my attention. Once she had it, she pointed at me, and then tugged her choker-style ribbon.

"Make it a choker?" I asked. She nodded.

"Loose hanging necklaces can get in the way, or get caught on things, unless they're tucked under something. Besides, most warriors would want to chance something like that. Easy to grab and yank, effectively hurting their throats. A choker, which is flat against skin, would help. And the chain or ribbon can be small, just this big." Dessa held up her hand, putting two fingers about the width of her pinky apart. "Subtle, simple, practical."

"Perfect," I said, already thinking of what I could do. General protection spells, of course, which were easy enough. Maybe I could add something that would help slow bleeding from open wounds, or something that would help fend off exhaustion? I could easily ask Nurse Asta about those. Yes, this would work quite nicely. "You two are good at this, thanks."

Dessa waved a hand dismissively. "Not a problem. You're a pretty decent dude, so we dont' mind helping you out. I mean, you got creepsie-Magsie put on probation. I've got to have a least a little respect for the guy who did that. Besides, you panicking because you forgot about a present is entertaining."

I rolled my eyes, knowing she couldn't see. Helice did, however, and bit her lip to stave off a smile.

Who would've thunk it, me hanging out with a blind girl and a mute girl I'd only officially met last week because I needed shopping help. Of all the things.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Marelda's POV

I was actually mildly surprised Luca showed up, meeting me in front of the girls' dorm. Granted, he was several minutes late, but he said he'd been working on something and lost track of time. He wouldn't elaborate on what, brushing it off as unimportant, but did apologize, surprisingly, for being late.

"Why am I going again?" he asked, following me as I made my way to the classroom someone had gained permission to use.

"Because Maeghan is making me, and I refuse to go by myself. I won't know most of the students. You, on the other hand, seem to know everyone."

"Know _of_ everyone, bella. Doesn't mean I know them all personally. There are very few people I know personally, actually."

"Whining won't change it. Maybe you'll have fun."

"You're quoting Maeghan, aren't you?"

"Deadshot center," I replied, reaching the door. "Here goes nothing." I opened it, and behind were about twenty or so students, all of varying ages. Impressive turnout, since only about thirty or so students were staying over break.

They were playing various games, card games or marbles and such, or standing around talking. There was a table covered in food, some of it obviously student made, some of it appearing to have been purchased in town. Music was coming from somewhere, probably an older student's spell.

Maeghan spotted Luca and I, then smiled and excused herself from a conversation with an older, dark-haired girl, skipping over to us. "I'm glad you guys made it!"

I shook my head, but I was smiling. "If I hadn't, you would have been sulking every time I was in the same room for at least the rest of break."

She giggled. "That is true. Still, I'm glad you actually came, and brought your buddy, too! There's games being played on that half of the room, and the other half is just casual stuff. Try the food, too. I recommend the Chocolate Cherry Muffins. Isa made them."

"Yes, well, it was Selene's excellent recipe, so I can't take all the credit." The girl who Maeghan had been talking to came up behind her. She was a pretty, cream skinned girl with waist length hair. Perhaps about eighteen, maybe nineteen. "I'm Isa Ravenswood."

"Marelda Krammer." I shook her outstretched hand. "This is Luca."

"I know." She smiled. "I'm surprised she managed to get you here, you usually avoid these sorts of things."

My buddy shrugged, palms up. "Bella told me I had to, and I can't be disappointing her, now can I?" he said, winking at me. I rolled my eyes. He'd replaced his playful slacker persona when we walked in the room. If I didn't know him as well as I did at this point, I wouldn't have been able to tell how uncomfortable he was.

Ravenswood laughed. "Of course."

"How's Alex?"

"He's over in the corner, beating everyone at slips." Slips was a complicated sort of card game I'd never bothered to learn the rules to. It was incredibly popular, but I never much cared for it.

Luca nodded. "I might just go give him some real competition."

"Please do. He'll be insufferable for at least a few days if he isn't beaten at least once."

Luca turned to me. "You up for a round?"

I shook my head. "Naw, don't know how to play, don't care much to learn."

He gasped, pressing a hand to his chest. "This just won't do! We have to correct this grievous injustice!"

It was nice that at least Maeghan joined me in giving him a deadpan look. Isa just laughed.

"If I didn't know better, I'd accuse you of spending too much time with Alex, with the flowers you're spitting up."

"I'm entirely offended." His smirk said otherwise. "But come on, bella, we must get you acquainted with slips."

Eventually Luca gave up on trying to explain how slips worked to me, sighing dramatically about how my talents are clearly more for a different battlefield. I flicked his ear for that, causing him to dramatically clap his hand over his ear and howl. It got quite a few laughs.

At the moment, I'd gotten up to get a drink, but then was pulled into a conversation with Isa. As it turned out, she was only a level up in classes. She was also, upon questioning, Selene's co-sister-in-law—or, rather, the sister of Selene's sister-in-law. Isa was also very curious about my training program.

"So you've got training nearly every day, right? With weapons and such?"

I nodded. "Sundays are my days off from everything, but I only have a light morning practice on saturdays. I've got more intensive practices in the week, every morning but Wednesday, where it's a lighter practice. Most of my classes are in the afternoons because of that, at least they were this quarter."

"That's a lot of work," she said. "I don't think I'd be cut out for that."

Judging by the fact that she looked like she'd never had to do much hard labor in her life, I could say that I agreed with that. Well, not out loud. That would be rude. "Few are, honestly. Sometimes I even question if I know what I'm getting into, and I've been working towards it my whole life." Look at me, being all socially savvy. Elma would be proud. She's always on my to improve my social skills. Apparently they're needed as a warrior, which makes no sense to me.

"But from what I've heard, you're pretty amazing. What, might I ask, is your favorite weapon?"

"Hmm, that's a tough one. I prefer closer ranged weapons, like my knives, than I do the bow or spear. My sword is probably my favorite, not necessarily to use, but it's my highest quality weapon." Copprus was a gift from Barin, from when I first started. It was a beautiful weapon, perfectly made with magical help to keep it in the best of shape even with heavy use.

The conversation dissolved into a debate of the effectiveness of ranged weapons versus melee weapons.

Luca's POV

The biggest surprise of related to the fact that I actually attended a student gathering was that I actually enjoyed myself. It was odd. I generally avoided these things in favor of another, more secluded activity. But this time, when I left, I was actually glad I came. Even better, Marelda seemed to have fun. That was enough reason for me to go. I owed her quite a bit, if I'm being honest. I couldn't really ask for a better friend.

And, it turned out she was crap at slips, which I found greatly amusing. Her face was literally an open book. This girl is a terrible gambler, even when the only thing being gambled was beads. I do hope she can be better at lying than what she showed here, because honestly it was pathetic. I mean, her honesty is one of my favorite things about her, but she's so bad at this that I feel the need to teach her how to get better. She's most certainly not cut out for spy-work.

I was currently waiting for her in the archives. It was a little past nine, and we agreed to meet here so we could do some research on the Tower. The two of us agreed that we would do all the research we could before, if we decided the risks were worth it, we went to the Tower. I knew it contained a chimera, which would be the biggest obstacle at the Tower, from what I'd overheard. But before we began that research, we'd have to figure out the protections around it.

The fog was the biggest one, but I also knew that there were various creatures that we could possibly encounter. Fenrir, amphisbaena, and a manticore were rumored to be in the depths of the east forest. While the Tower of Sorrow was the most well-known thing hidden in the east forest, I'd found vague references to other things hidden. I had a suspicion that the east forest blurred with fae lands. Which would make them a lot bigger on the inside than they are appearing on the inside. It would also mean that within its borders are any number of magical creatures and fae, and there would be plenty of space for other places to be. Lost treasures and hidden buildings.

None of that interested me. Maybe eventually I'd want to explore that forest more in depth, but for now, I'd be content knowing if the Tower contained my past. I don't blame Marelda for her anger at my being selfish, but she also has a family who loves her. It's not that I'm trying to "find a family among the dead," but I just want some sort of closure. My early life is one big blank, and that more than anything upsets me. I just want to know where I came from. Then, I feel, it would let me move on. Give me some sort of foundation to build off of, ya know?


	20. Chapter 19

Quick Note: I've decided the official theme song for Marelda and Luca is "Kids Again" by Artist and Poet. Check it out on youtube or something!

thanks to ejwalker for pointing out that I put the Halfling chapter here instead of this one (again—whoops)

* * *

Chapter 19

Marelda's POV

"I think that a carbuncle would totally cream a wing rabbit. I mean, they're so timid. Carbuncles have no hesitation," Luca reasoned.

"Yeah, but can carbuncles become invisible? And slip in and out of faery lands? I don't think so," I replied. We'd been debating this for almost half an hour.

"All it would take is one hit from a carbuncle and the wing rabbit would be down."

"That would imply that it could catch the rabbit. They're not nearly as fast."

He opened his mouth to reply, but then stopped. I looked at him curiously.

"Selene?" he said. I followed his look to see a skipping girl with blondish hair even shorter than mine. At the sound of Luca's voice she paused, then turned around with a smile.

"Luca, hey! How've you been?"

"You're back! How long have you been back?" Luca was incredibly excited all of a sudden, but I was surprised.

I never interacted with Selene pre-disappearance, but she looks very different than how I remembered her. Her hair, for one, was much shorter, and less blonde. It almost looked a bit reddish-bronzish sheen where the light hit. And her skin was much paler than the tan she used to have, and she looked thinner, too, like she'd gone _months_ without eating enough. It was actually kind of scary, because last time I saw her (even if it was unknowingly), she was in the peak of health. Now she looked almost sickly in comparison, despite her bright smile and the excitement in her eyes.

"A week, though I can't blame anyone for not knowing," Selene laughed. "I've been holed up in the prefect's office playing catch-up since last Tuesday. Who's this?"

I snapped out of my observation. "I'm Marelda, his buddy."

Her eyes widened, then she made an incredulous noise. "Just how many of my friends got buddied while I was away? First Elias, now Luca. Who's next, Amelia?" She shook her head, smiling before holding out her hand to me. "But it's nice to meet you, Marelda. I've seen you around, but never really bothered talking to you." I shook her hand.

"Can't blame you, bella has a talent for giving off an unapproachable aura," Luca teased.

I flicked his ear, causing him to let out a dramatic whine. "Ignore him. He's a tosser."

Selene laughed. "I like you already. Your bluntness is the exact needed thing for this silver-tongued boy."

"But, all teasing aside because you two are mean, I really need to talk to you about something, Selene," Luca said. And people said _I_ had no tact. Give the girl some breathing room, Luca.

"Hmm, do you think we could meet tomorrow? I promised Philyra I'd teach her to to make cherry pie cookies," she said. "We could do a lunch thing, now that I'm all caught up with school." Philyra? Who's that?

Luca opened his mouth to say something, but I quickly cut him off. "That should work. Are you okay with meeting at the Featherly Flour, say, eleven?"

She smiled. "Sure am. They've got the best donuts in town."

I returned her smile. "Great. See you then." Grabbing Luca's arm, I pulled him away down the hall. Once we were out of earshot, Luca started whining.

"Why did you do that? I was about to tell her about everything!"

"Because," I said. "It would be less believable to just blurt out you think she's your cousin and that her late mother was a princess. It would be more believable to do it calmly, in a nice setting. Preferably with notes. Besides, now we've got some time to gather your notes together."

He paused. "This is why you're my buddy."

"Pardon?"

"It just clicked. This is why you're my buddy. You keep me from rushing into things with a half-baked idea. You make me wait, and plan, and finish forming the idea into something that makes sense to other people, therefore making everything a whole lot easier for everyone, myself included."

I just stared at him, unsure of how to reply.

But he just smiled. Not a large one—a small, but genuinely happy, one.

"Thanks, Marelda." Huh. He actually used my name.

"No problem," I said, keeping my surprise out of my voice. "After all, if you make a mess I'm the one who has to clean it up."

He laughed. "That is true. Now, let's go get everything together."

Luca's POV

I was incredibly excited to meet with Selene. We had so much to tell her. Marelda and I had spent all evening nicely compiling my notes into a sensible order. It hadn't actually needed as much time as we spent at it, but we kept up that carbuncle/wing rabbit debate. Neither of us have yielded yet.

A carbuncle would win. I have no doubt of that.

Now, it was shortly before eleven, and Marelda and I were waiting at the cafe for Selene, tucked into a booth in the corner. Marelda's hair was still damp from her post-training shower. Speaking of that…

I waved my wand, drying it. Marelda looked at me and nodded her thanks.

A few minutes later, nervousness set in and I started going over my notes, again. Selene was uncharacteristically late. This waiting thing was making me highly anxious. Marelda promptly took the papers, silently telling me to calm down and relax.

And then, fifteen minutes after eleven, Selene showed up, staggering into the cafe like she'd run all the way from the Academy. And she probably did. Spotting us, she dashed over, sliding into the opposite seat. She looked a mess, hat shoved haphazardly on her head, coat buttons wrong.

"I am _so_ sorry I'm late. It's no excuse, but I was up late and kept asleep by certain people, which I will explain." She said breathlessly.

I laughed. "Not a problem. I'm the one with the least right to get upset about it."

"Tell me about it." Marelda nudged my side. "Though, I must admit he's doing better."

Selene grinned. "So I've heard from a little Kittycat."

"Yeah, she's a talkative one. Not sure I'd trust her with too many secrets." I admitted. "Too nice, in addition. But how's it been with you?"

Snorting, she answered, "Oh, like you don't know, Mr. Eavesdropper. It's common knowledge you know all the gossip, no matter if it took place under lock and spell."

I shrugged, smiling. "I like knowing things. Fight me."

"Need I remind you that I managed to take you out with a single blow? I highly doubt you'd beat Selene." Marelda sounded very smug, very smug.

"Wait, what? I want to hear this." Selene looked on the verge of giggles.

"He was doing his usual 'I don't need anybody' act when we were first buddied, made up some crap about how the headmaster should undo it to spare us both the trouble. Needless to say, when he sauntered out, I followed. And ended up slugging him in the face when he said something particularly stupid. I didn't _intend_ to knock him out, but I underestimated how physically pathetic he is."

"I take offense to that," I pouted.

"Good. Maybe you'll start working out or something. You're really not physically strong at all," Marelda smirked at me, brow raised.

"I mean, really, Luca, I suppose it's no wonder you almost always wriggled out of participating in the practical magic days when we had to do things that required some physical strength." Selene input.

I crossed my arms. "I am being double teamed and it is unfair."

"Life's not fair, kiddo." Selene smiled. "Learn it now or it'll make you."

"Well, I'm going to order food. Because if I'm going to have to deal with bullies I at least want to eat first." I waved a waitress over, and we all ordered. Selene ordered a crap ton, more than she would have eaten before the whole incident. She looked like she needed it, too. She was scary thin, in comparison to how she used to be.

"Now," I said once we were given our food. I waved my wand once as I spoke, putting up a muffling spell that would prevent most eavesdroppers. "For the real reason I wanted to meet with you, Selene."

I pulled my compiled notes from my bag as the same time Selene pulled the bulges out of her coat pockets. They were some sort of bags, and one had a bunch of folder paper inside, the other three (what I assumed were) journals.

"Yeah, I kinda know part of the reason." She inhaled, then launched into the tale that explained why she was late—a dead brother's spirit pulling her spirit into the spirit world for a dream-like visit, then meeting her late aunt who accidentally let it spill that she and I were cousins. If anything, it saved me some explaining and convincing, and completely dissipate any doubts I might have had.

And my extensive questioning about the dream/spirit visit thing was completely necessary for the whole investigation and was not at all to satisfy my personal curiosity.

Marelda just seemed confused and didn't look nearly as curious about all of it as I felt.

"I think that I'm going to stick to the physical, more solid aspects of magic," she commented at one point.

Next, we began discussing what we knew. We started with what Selene knew.

"All I grew up knowing about my mom's past is that she eloped from Myula to Terra with Randy, the father of all my brothers. I was always told it was because her family didn't approve of him, but I'm pretty sure no one knew about him. I'm not sure though. Well, I think Lia, my mom's sister, knew about him eventually, but I think she might have been the only one. I haven't gotten through the first journal, and haven't even started the letters. They're all from Lia, except for the last one, which I noticed when I was organizing them chronologically."

"Who's it from?" I asked.

"Believe it or not, Professor Conrad Schuyler. But I don't think he was a professor then. Hmm, where is it?" She dug through the letters in the bag, pulling out one that was only a single sheet of paper. "Here is is. It was the last letter my mother received."

She smoothed it out, then started to read it aloud.

* * *

The Falle Her0:

Chapter 16: The way I've got Luca and Marelda set up in my head is that, while they argue a lot, Marelda also does her best to make sure they're resolved sooner than later (while Luca would just avoid it if left alone), because that's just the sort of straightforward person she is. And yeah, if you think that was a lot of information, here's some more in this chapter, with more to follow in the next. Things are happening.

Chapter 17: Yeah, they're still figuring out the friendship thing and how the caveats of that work, but they're getting there! And I really like Dessa and Helice, too. We'll be seeing more of them in Warrior, likely, and definitely some of them in Halfling (seeing as they'll be in Selene's class and all for half the day). And, as Luca works on the path to healing, he'll start opening up more and more. Like us real (if we are real, that is) people.

Chapter 18: Honestly I do, too. Don't tell any of my other characters that, while I love them all, Luca and Marelda are probably my favorites anymore. And yes, Luca will find what he needs, even if it's not particularly what he thought he wanted.


	21. Chapter 20

Hey everyone! So, I've got some good news and bad news. Good: This is my last week of highschool! Because I will be graduating, I'll be starting work full time and hopefully getting a second job part time, because college is dang expensive and I've got to pay for it myself. Bad News: I regret that I must go on hiatus again this summer. I won't have time to get regular chapters out, as my writing time will be severely limited. Hopefully, when I start my college classes this fall I'll be able to get some writing done. Super sorry about this! However: I WILL COMPLETE THE ELEMENTAL SPIRAL. I've come too far to give up now! It just might take a few years, and I hope y'all can stick with it. And now, onto the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 20

Luca's POV

Selene smoothed the letter out, then started to read it aloud.

" _Aurora, I am sending you this to inform you that your sister did not survive giving birth to her child._ _She entrusted him to me, and I will make sure to keep him well hidden and well protected. I know you may want to lay claim to the child, but she told me I was not to pass him off to anyone else and take care of him myself, and not even for you will I disobey her wishes. I cannot express how sorry I am about Aulelia, and she was very dear to the both of us. I know I will miss her dreadfully. This will likely be the last you'll hear of me, for I must hide the child—a boy—before your father finds out he was not killed, as was ordered. Again, I am so, so sorry._

 _Best Wishes, Conrad Schuyler.'_ "

She held it out to me, and I grabbed it, looking over it. "Yeah, it's his handwriting." My voice was small, and my heart heavy. _This_ is why I spent the first fifteen years of my life trapped in what was essentially a box? A cage? Cut off from the world, from other people. Alone, in the most real sense of the word? I could've grown up with a family, because I've heard nothing but amazing things about Selene's family. But no, I had to grow up in a box. Trapped in a cage. All because…

I jumped when Marelda put her hand on my shoulder.

Marelda's POV

"Hey, you okay?" I asked, concerned. He brushed off my hand.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he said, not meeting my eyes. He'll _be_ fine, meaning he isn't at the moment. I glanced over at Selene, who seemed to have realized the same thing.

Selene pushed her last donut in front of Luca. "Have you tried this? It's the new kind, they only came out with it a few days ago. I'm not to partial to it, but then again, I didn't realize it had mint, which I'm not a huge fan of. Want it?"

Distract him until he can calm down. Selene was smart.

"I haven't, thanks." The extra food seemed to do the trick. The waitress came over with refills for our drinks, which relaxed him further. I decided to talk to him about it later.

"Well, now that we know Selene's end, why don't we tell her ours, Luca?" I suggested.

He nodded, whatever cloud that had been over him a moment ago almost completely dissipated as he went into what I'd began to call "scholar mode."

"Selene, if I said that our mothers were the Vanished Princesses of Myula, and that meant we were technically royalty, would you believe me?" he asked.

Selene released a sardonic laugh. "Maybe not two months ago, but now? Yeah, I could believe it. It's more real than finding out your half elemental and that your biological father is alive and not human, a royal non-human to boot. So that's not the strangest revelation in my life recently. Vanished Princesses, though? It seems vaguely familiar."

"We learned about it in his…wait. You weren't here for that lesson. Well, basically, they're the two sisters of the current king, who both vanished about fifteen years apart. No one knew what happened to them, and when King Wilikin took the throne, he dedicated a holiday in their honor. It's in the spring, late March, specifically. During the last full week of March, when the youngest princess had her birthday, and because both sisters' favorite season was spring. It's a big celebration, followed by feasts across the land."

"Oooooohhh." Selene nodded in understanding. "Klaus mentioned that when I brought up Thanksgiving, an American-Terran thing where it's a big feast every year. That's where I heard it. From the little of the journal I've read, our moms called him Wil. He was my mom's twin. Speaking of the journals, I've got the spirits of dead people and written evidence of all this. How'd you figure this out?"

Luca launched into an explanation of all his research. Somehow Selene was following it a lot more than I would. Those two were certainly related, that's for sure. I decided to just listen with one ear and focus on my drink. It was dark hot chocolate. Hot chocolate was a rarity growing up. It was expensive, particularly in the smaller towns. But in Stargate? It was only a couple of dollars for a huge mug. The stores in Stargate, well, I'd heard many students who came from the bigger cities complain about how expensive they were.

But compared to home? I was a merchant's daughter. Even if I had no interest in that career, I knew how these things worked. Sure, some things were generally more expensive, but overall? They weren't. A student could buy so many materials, magical or to create magical. There were so many things that were considered delicacies and rarities everywhere but the cities—and yet, they were affordable for someone on my small allowance (seeing as most of it was saved to purchased new weaponry and armor, and for the care for them) could regularly afford, if I wished, to purchase things like hot chocolate. I limited myself to once a week, twice over the holidays if I stayed. And, thankfully, the darker stuff cost the same as the milkier stuff, despite one having more cocoa than the other, so I was able to get the one I preferred, guilt-free. I'd take bitter and spicy and salty over sweet any day.

An hour later when the conversation petered out, we went and started back to the academy.

"So now that everyone is all caught up," I began. "What should we do about this?" Luca had filled her in about the Tower of Sorrow deal, but no plan had been put in place.

"Actually, I have an idea," Selene said. "I left them at home, but I'm sure I can get them sent over. There's these sealed letters, like an actual wax seal and everything,"—That's actually normal in Myula, to use wax seals. Is it unusual in Terra?—"with 'Wil' written on the front. I think there's like 20 or so. I left them sealed and at home, because I didn't think they should be disturbed. But, it's clear now my mom wrote them for her brother, the king, but never got the chance to send them. They probably explain everything she did and stuff."

"And you're thinking we should mail them, is that it?" Luca asked. "But they certainly wouldn't explain my end, or anything that's happened in the last decade. Not to mention, if someone else managed to get them, it could cause a huge scandal. There would be huge upheavals, lots of investigating. And it might even cause problems with the Terran ministry. I mean, you said your mom was never registered with them, but your brothers and other family are. It's likely they'll accuse your entire family of being lying upstarts vying illegally for the throne, which I'm pretty confident none of us care about in the least. I think if we do that, we'll have to compile some unarguable evidence."

And here we enter the section Luca hadn't gotten around to telling me.

"And how would we do that?" Selene asked.

"The Dragon's Eye gemstone." Luca pulled out a new stack of notes, this one much smaller than the one he had used back at the cafe, really only a couple pages. "I only found this the other day. And technically most of it isn't actually available to students, so I'd appreciate not telling anyone."

I whacked his arm. "What have we discussed about illicit gathering of information?"

"First off— _ow_. And second, this was important," he defended.

I sighed, Selene snickering at the exchange, and he continued.

"I found a mention of it in an archive book, and then I slipped into the restricted back room of the archives where the more secretive files are stored, namely, the ones on the truths of the Tower of Sorrow." He pulled a certain sheet to the front of the ones in his hand, glancing at it as he started to explain. "The Dragon's Eye gem is what seems to be what the Tower of Sorrow is really protecting. From what the records said, it holds a mostly auto-biographical history of the royal family, back until the first king. The heir is generally taught all it's abilities, but each blood-born member of the House of Aprea is taught how to record their history via the sister stone at the place, which is only able to record history. It is impossible to lie to it, and it's recordings can be found in the Dragon's Eye, which has a lot more functions than the sister stone. I wasn't actually able to figure out the name of that one, because all the records just referred to it as the 'sister stone'. But it's only function, the history recording, is apparently the same way the Dragon's Eye records. It just has more abilities. One of those being the ability to declare yourself a member of the royal family."

"How would that give us the necessary proof?" Selene asked before I could.

"Remember that book I mentioned? The one the records the existence of the royal family members? Unless details are added, nothing shows up besides a blank portrait and birth/death dates, you know? It's either done with the sister stone, which is normally what the royal family does, but you can declare it to the Dragon's Eye and it does the same thing, _and_ it'll put your name on the royal tapestry tree, giving you a gem. If we did that, no one would be able to dispute the rest of our evidence. And it would keep the rest of your family out of it until they feel ready to do it, if they ever." I was proud of Luca's level of consideration for those who weren't directly involved with this. It showed that he was thinking things through a little more. "Most members don't go to the length of using the Dragon's Eye. As far as my research can tell, the last time a ruler or heir used it was five generations back, when Eclos made a huge push to try and steal Geodonelunan lands. It can, apparently, raise a border around the country that is impenetrable by all who hold less than purely good intentions. So it's reasons like _that_ which cause the Tower to be placed under such heavy protections."

"And how are we you get there? I mean, I know Katalina and Elias did, but Katalina nearly died a very painful death. I don't want them involved. Or Philyra. And I don't know how much Klaus would approve of all this, but I feel like he deserves to be involved. I mean, the fae magic woven throughout the East Forest is bad enough, but a Chimera? I highly doubt we'll get as lucky as Elias and Katalina." She paused, took a deep breath, and continued. "And, well, I'm sure Angel could take it out, but then I'm not sure if Celeste and I could get Angel to go back in. He's restless enough as it is, but invoking his bloodlust will end very badly. The biggest reason he was put back inside last time was because we'd been practically starved, in addition to being exhausted and bruised up pretty badly.

A little while ago, Selene answered some of Luca's questions about elementals. As a halfling, Selene's three "forms" weren't of one mind. The human blood caused the three to dissociate from each other, leaving her with Celeste, the fire and wind "element," and Angel, the highly instinctive and…violently protective draconian "animal." Celeste was easy to live with, but Angel instinctively sought to destroy anything he perceived as a threat. Selene said that Celeste was keeping him contained, but she knew that adding a little too much stress would likely cause him to break out. As it was, he remained in the back of her consciousness.

From the sound of it, it would be a bad idea to let Angel out to deal with a Chimera, because then we'd have to deal with Angel, who was more powerful than any Chimera.

"I've got some…contacts who would gladly answer my _theoretical_ questions about what fighting various magical creatures would be like, including a Chimera. Elma would be suspicious, but Barin would give me everything I'd need without asking a question or suspecting a thing," I said as we stood about a hundred feet from the gate, Luca and Selene looking at me in surprise. "I'm a warrior-in-training. I'll figure out how to handle the monster. You two figure out how to counter the more vague-and-magical protections."

Selene nodded. "We can do that. I'll explain everything to Klaus tonight. I'm sure if I do it, alone, he'd help. And as prefect, he's got a little more access to certain kinds of things, like how to avoid the guardian mages, which includes the headmaster and Professor Schuyler. At the least, if he sees how determined I am, he'll probably help only to keep me from getting myself fatally injured. Additionally, I know a certain court fae that, if I can locate her, should be able to give us some insight on the protections. I'm going to tell Merlin, too, because I think he should know since he's here."

"And I'll do some investigating on that as well. Take a look in the restricted archives some more. I'll probably make a neater compilation of evidence, as well." Luca added.

"Then I guess this is where we part. Meet up again in a few days?" Selene asked.

Luca and I nodded, bidding Selene goodbye. For now.

* * *

ejwalker: Thanks again for pointing out I posted the wrong chapter! I'm glad you liked this dynamic couple's debate. And the world will probably never know how it began, or how it will end. Both sides are incredibly stubborn. But it'll be fun!


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 (81/82)

Marelda's POV

"Hold up, your brother can do that?" Luca looked more excited than I'd seen him in a while.

Selene laughed. "I'll let him do further explanation. He'll love having someone with the mental capacity and the interest to talk to this about. And you know the town well enough, hopefully, to find any random odds and ends he needs."

Frankly, the magic and mechanics that would go into devices to dispel various illusionary magics was beyond my level of theoretical understanding. I know very well that I am far from stupid, but there are different kinds of "smart" and theoretical branches of magics I am not familiar with are not where my intelligence lies.

"What kind of magic is that? I literally work in battle and espionage type magics and I've never heard of magic objects capable of that?" I asked. I wanted to understand these things a bit better, though, if only because Luca was so interested in them. That's what good friends did, right? Get to know about their friends interests and all?

"Well, Merlin actually works with fusion magic," Selene said. "As far as I know, he's the only magic-user who works in combining Terran technology with Myulan magic. He's brilliant, and he's going to probably be rich off it one day, but for now I'm more concerned with him getting these things done before he has to leave. Hey, while Luca's with Merlin, why don't you and I do something?"

"I suppose we could figure out a strategy for the chimera, if you're up for it? I got a reply from Barin, and judging by the thickness he probably went into hyper-detail again." Selene nodded and I couldn't help but feel a bit relieved that I would be going back to something I could better understand.

"And maybe, if we need a break from that or have some extra time, you could see how accurate my idea of weapon fighting is." Selene grinned. "While I used to be really good at making temporary weapons out of fire, my usage of them was mostly based off of movies—moving pictures, sort of—and such, so they're probably wildly inaccurate."

I'm not even going to ask about the "moving pictures, of sorts" because honestly I probably don't want to know.

But I smiled. "I think that could be managed. I did hear that you hold the record for the umbra sessions at the Academy. Of course, due to my special training I'm not allowed to participate."

"Hmm, we may have to have a battle, just between us, when this is all over. If my magic isn't still so out of whack, that is."

"Definitely."

"So, not to interrupt this wonderful bonding time, but where is your brother staying?" Luca cut in.

She told him, and he bid the two of us goodbye before rushing off. Hopefully he has fun.

"Boys and their toys," Selene laughed.

"Of course, us girls are just as bad in our own ways," I commented

"Very true, very true." Grinning, She looked over at me. "Now, how about we get to this chimera? If the real Myulan ones are anywhere near as deadly as the fictional Terran ones, it should be an interesting challenge, chance of death aside.

"Barin, I swear you are so unhelpful. I thought you were the less violent between you and Elma but I've clearly been deluded all these years." His letter was filled with how to kills creatures like chimeras, not how to subdue them. Interesting and violent but not really helpful in this context. We need to leave with the chimera alive, after all.

Selene laughed, but asked who Elma was.

"Barin's sister. She's a warrior, like him, but she doesn't have magic. The two of them are my sponsors, because official warrior training isn't exactly cheap." I flipped to the next page of the letter. "I mean, my family isn't exactly poor, but between four kids we aren't rich either. Without Barin and Elma chipping in, I wouldn't be able to do the warriors program. Armor and weaponry, the good kind, cost a pretty penny. Frankly I don't know how your family supported so many kids. You're the youngest of eight, right?"

She nodded, opening another book. "I mean, there were times when we struggled, and hand-me-down clothes and stuff was commonplace growing up. There were payments from the Terran Ministry because the father of my brothers worked for them, so the amount was per the seven of them, but my mother and I weren't included in those because neither of us were registered with them. My mother prolly because of the whole princess thing, and then I didn't have a parent who was registered until I was legally adopted by Jonny after my mom died. We always managed to get enough to eat, and as my brothers got old enough to work, it helped a lot. By the time I was twelve we were all doing pretty well. Most of my brothers went to schools in Myula, but the ones who did were all on at least half-scholarships. Except for me, because being educated is free at the academy due to the fact that the royal family pays for it and all. But overall, we managed. My family is super close, so we always help each other out when one is struggling."

"That sounds really nice." I skimmed over the last page of Barin's letter. "You know what also sounds nice? Getting out of this library for a bit. We should take a break."

Selene yawned. "I'm down for that. Walk?"

"Sure."

Selene was frankly one of the most interesting people I've ever met. From what I'd heard of her, she had the potential to be one of the most entertaining people, too. But she seemed…subdued, compared to the stories. Luca commented that it probably was because of everything that had happened. Losing her oldest brother, being held prisoner by an evil elemental and suffering actual forms of torture—including starvation, physical beatings, and emotional blows—then catching up with over a month of school in approximately a week, and now this mess. I had to wonder if she was pushing aside anything negative and focusing on each new project in order to keep distracted. It most certainly couldn't be healthy, and I wondered how long it would be before she broke herself. I haven't known her long, and I don't know her particularly well compared to others here, but I quite liked her. Her halfling status didn't matter—I believed the stigma against those with fae-blood (or elemental blood) or fae-gifts were severely uncalled for. But people tend to fear what they can't understand, or what seems more powerful than themselves.

But back to the chimera conundrum.

"I wonder if there's someone we could ask, at the academy?" I pondered aloud. "But I feel like most of the teachers would report it to the headmaster if students started asking about how to subdue a chimera. It's not like they're commonplace."

"Maybe a student? I mean, I know there aren't many here at the moment, but maybe someone?" Selene hummed.

"What about your buddy?" I asked. "As a prefect he already knows something about the Tower, maybe he knows about how to go about this?"

"I don't think he would. Magical creatures are something he's studied, yea, but not in depth. He probably knows more about Elementals than chimeras, and even then he only would know about as much as I do," she shrugged.

"Pity," I sighed. "Hmm, we might have to ask Luca is he knows of anyone here who would know. I mean, the boy seems to know everything that's going on around here."

"He'd make a fabulous intelligence agent," Selene declared. "But wouldn't he have mentioned it earlier? He's not quite that scatterbrained, I'd like to think."

"Good point." I continued to think while Selene remained silent, until a rustling from the right broke us both out of our heads.

"That's not an animal," I murmured. "I've been hunting since I was little, that's not an animal sound." And with how few students remained at the school, it was doubtful any of them would take a gander through the woods.

"Wanna check it out?" Selene whispered back.

"Sure," I replied with a nod.

I switched to my hunter's gait, making my footsteps go silent. Selene, while quite a bit louder than I, was actually better at most quietly walking through lightly frosted leaves than most people. It was less than a minute before we were at the edge of a clearing that had an unusually tall and broad tree for this part of the forest in the center. At the base of the tree was a man with hair that seemed to be light pink, though that may have been the light. He wore something very similar to the boy uniform, but it was the variant for the one of Luca's level (though not age), not the one of the level most students his age should be at. He looked older than me by two or three years.

Selene glanced at me and I shook my head. I didn't know him. She turned around and walked forward a bit, me staying back in the shade.

"Who are you?" She asked.

The man jumped so badly he slipped and fell back with a yelp. "Sorry about that," Selene apologized sheepishly. She was clearly good at the acting bit, like Luca.

She held out her hand and helped him up.

"No, it's entirely my fault. I got too into thinking." The man laughed, brushing himself off. "Who might you be?"

"To be fair, I asked first," Selene said, sounding like absolutely nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Randy March." I'm not sure why, but that name sounded vaguely familiar. Might be something to look into later.

"Selene Celeste Fonix, nice to meet you. Are you a student at the academy? Because I haven't seen you before, but then again it's my first year." Selene's tone had changed ever-so-slightly, and she seemed to be more on her guard as opposed to the easy-going nonchalance from a moment before. Did she recognize the name, too?

"Really?" he asked. "You look a little old for a first year."

Seleme waved her hand dismissively. "I started late, among other things. But please, answer the question, 'cause frankly, you're a bit suspicious and I'd rather not have to give Klaus more work by bringing you in. Prefect work should be the least of his worries at the moment."

"Klaus? Klaus Goldstein?" Was it just me, or did this Randy seem uneasy at the mention of Selene's buddy? "So he did make prefect, then? Good for him, I didn't expect any less."

"You know each other?" Selene inquired. So it wasn't just me who was suspicious.

"Yeah, a long time ago…" Randy shook his head. "Yeah, I'm technically a student, of sorts. I left a few years back for…an internship, you could say."

Selene seemed as disbelieving as I felt.

"Really, what sort of internship?"

"I work with magical creatures."

"How come you're back, then?" I said, finally speaking up and walking towards the pair. "I'm pretty familiar with the various internship programs, seeing as I'm part of one myself, and I thought internships of that manner finished up the equivalent of a graduation degree."

His nervousness was to be expected. I knew very well I was no small, petite little girl. I was large, and for my training path, it was more than helpful and I greatly appreciate it being so.

"W-well, it's just that I had some business to take care of back here," he stuttered out. "The headmaster does know I'm here, he's the one who gave me permission to wander about the grounds. I've got proof in my bag, if you want to see it."

Selene shook her head. "Naw, I think you're being honest about the permission part, if not about the name and such. Now, you said you work with magical creatures?" Ah, the more useful information we've gotten out of him thus far.

"Yeah, those are my specialty." He nodded, seeming relieved at the turn of the conversation.

Selene and I shared a look, turned to this Randy, and said, in perfect unison, "What do you know about chimeras?"

* * *

TheFallenHer0: (Ch 19) Well, they converse like actual friends because they are. At this point, they've known each other for almost three months, and honestly I've become good friends with people within a few weeks, so a few months I think is totally believable. But yea, they compliment each other really well. And Luca, like always, wasn't phased by the random magical dreamology (he's likely come across stuff about it in his personal-interests research. And he's more curious than startled, anyhow.


End file.
